American Alligator: They could use some gator-aid
No soft and fluffy critters today… they are however still cute in their own way. Let’s talk about those ancient, water dwelling, lore inspiring, reptiles we call the American Alligator.
History and Environment:
We of course know that alligators have remained unchanged for a very long time, however did you know that these artful alligators elluded adventurers until 1801? First described in 1801 it wasn’t until 1809 that they were classified as Alligators. They are actually the reason Alligator as a family exist. There is of course the Chinese Alligator and some extinct alligators we have discovered. But our home grown gators were the the breakthrough science needed. Although sadly they were almost non-existent… but we’ll talk about that later.
For now let me tell you about where they live. Alligators live in the fresh waters found in slow-moving rivers and swamps from North Carolina to Rio Grande, Texas. They generally steer clear of salt-water but can tolerate it for a short period of time. Most people associate this critter with Florida but they reach much farther than that. You can find them in marshes and lakes as well as the occasional swimming pool. They do need a steady source of food which is not difficult to find in their native habits: fish, wild hogs, deer are all on the menu. When people push in too close to their habitat pets are added to the menu as well.
Current Status:
As of 2023 alligators are doing amazing, they are ranked in the “least concern” category which means there are so many that they don’t even have the slightest threat of going away. There environment however is a different story…
Like nearly every animal we discuss people are ruining their habitat. Draining land that once belonged to the gators to build houses or strip malls or some other development in a huge threat to the wetlands they call home. This is the biggest threat to the alligator. Other threats to their environment include over hunting and development of surrounding areas causing prey to be more scarce AND the water table to change. There are large areas of wetlands protected by both federal and state regulations.
And Then Humans:
As per usual it was habitat destruction and overhunting that nearly wiped out these little guys, they were declared threatened in 1967 and the population has been on the rise ever since. So nothing too bad… for once.
Basically we decided, as humans, that the swampy/marshy land that is unlivable is exactly where we need to be. Forget about the animals that require that land to live and that changing it will affect all of the surrounding areas and habitats and critters in those habitats. Causing a chain reaction that not only changes the land the animals need but also changes how they hunt and act, permanently changing the food chain and water table. Thankfully in December of 2022 a new law was passed to fully protect the remaining wetlands… BUT… in May of 2023 the Supreme Court pulled back on that law giving developers the ability to, as the AP stated it, make “it easier to develop and destroy” the wetlands. Ugh!
Oops! I Can Fix That!
There are quite a few programs to “help save” the American alligators. Which is weird when you stop to think about it, they aren’t even threatened anymore. I believe this is a proof of concept for how capable humans are of saving endangered species. If we can do this for the American Alligator imagine what we can do for all the others that need our help!
As I said earlier the US government made an attempt to further protect our wetlands, but the Supreme Court ruined it. Individual states have been protecting their wetlands for many years so at least we have that. Now if only we could protect the other critters and their habitats like we have the American alligator’s we would be doing well.
Sum It Up Buttercup
Well, we definitely have a standard for what conservation should look like, that standard is the American alligator. We’ve made it very clear that as a society we can and will save critters that need it.
The biggest reason that we saved the alligator is because of the meat trade. While it is delicious, and does NOT taste like chicken, I don’t think that is the reason to focus on the conservation of a critter. We SHOULD do it because it is the right thing to do. The little guys need it too. Let’s protect the land and the critters not for personal gain or amazing meals, but because we actually care!