A Real Grinner

This is an American Alligator. They have the distinction of being the largest reptile in North America. If you think this one is yawning or showing off her pearly whites, that is not the case. She has been lying in the sun all morning and her body has absorbed all that solar energy and she has gotten just a bit too warm. Gators use this open mouth posture to dissipate some of that heat, much like a panting dog.

On the La Chua Trail, here in Gainesville, visitors to our area who might like to see these Impressive Creatures will Not be disappointed. This morning I saw 13 of them sunning themselves on just one bank, most of them at least as large as this sweet thing. They were lined up like Used Cars on a lot. In a matter of 3 hours I probably saw at least 75 gators.

Alligators are an important part of the ecology of wild areas. During droughts they dig deep holes, appropriately called Gator Holes, which provide water for the entire wildlife community.