Pod of Baby Alligators Guarded by Mother

Pod of Baby Alligators Guarded by Mother


Several dozen cute baby American Alligators about two months old hang out in a group called a Pod and are guarded by their mother. Although they may appear larger in the video without a reference they are actually not much bigger than 14-16 inches. Mom on the other hand is about 9 feet or so and reasonably tolerant - their biggest threat is probably other male alligators or maybe a humongous Large Mouth Bass.
Toward the end of August, the young alligators begin to make high-pitched noises from inside of the egg. This lets the mother know that it is time to remove the nesting material. When the baby alligator hatches it measures about 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters). Newly hatched alligators live in small groups, called "pods." Some 80 percent of young alligators fall victim to predators such as birds, raccoons, bobcats, otters, snakes, large bass and larger alligators. Females aggressively defend their young during these first few years. Crocodilians are one of the only orders of reptiles that offer maternal care to their young. The juveniles grow about a foot a year.
Female alligators usually remain in a small area. Males can occupy areas greater than two square miles. Both males and females extend their ranges during the breeding season. Young alligators remain in the area where they are hatched and where their mother protects them. After two to three years, they leave that area in search of food or when driven out by larger alligators.
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Pod of Baby Alligators Guarded by Mother