Animal facts

ALLIGATORS (ALLIGATORIDAE)

● American alligators appeared about 84 million years ago; the only reptiles older than that are turtles and tortoises.

● Unlike crocodiles, alligators can’t swim in salt-water habitats.

● Alligators are sprinters, and can run up to 55 km an hour over short distances.

● They have 75 teeth and are considered carnivores, although they’ve been known to eat fruit.

● Alligators roar very loudly while mating, making them the noisiest reptiles on the planet.