No, but it often takes a very close look to see the difference, and who wants to get that close to either one of them!
Alligators and crocodiles are both long, cigar-shaped reptiles, with four short legs, powerful tails, long snouts, and scales, or plates, covering their bodies.
If you see a broad, rounded snout on a crocodile, you are really looking at an alligator, for a crocodile’s snout is pointed. Also, the crocodile is lighter, moves more quickly, and Is more vicious than an alligator.
The muscles that close an alligator’s jaws are very strong, but once those jaws are closed, they can be held together by a person’s bare hands or by a keeper’s chin against his chest.
Related Posts
-
How do crocodiles clean their teeth and Do crocodiles grow new teeth?
The Egyptian Plover (Pluvianus aegyptius) has long been called the crocodile bird for its symbiotic relationship to this most ferocious of reptiles. Sitting coolly in the gaping mouth of a basking crocodile, the…
-
What is the Difference between Alligators and Crocodiles and where do they come from?
Here's the thing. If you've encountered any crocodilian in Florida, chances are it's an American alligator. While American crocodiles do live in the salty, brackish waters of the southernmost tip of Florida, they…
-
Do Alligators and Crocodiles Live in the Sewers of New York City or is the Urban Legend a Myth?
Digging through a list of New York Times stories over the years will turn up a dozen instances in which alligators or crocodiles have mysteriously shown up in the New York City area,…
-
Why Do Female Alligators Bury Their Eggs?
An alligator doesn't bury her babies, she buries the eggs from which they will eventually emerge. Alligators make homes, or dens, for themselves underground. These are always partially filled with water. When it…
-
Why is it Illegal to own Gerbils as Pets in California and is it Unlawful to keep other Animals like Alligators?
Gerbils are illegal to own as pets in the state of California, and so are lots of other animals. The concern of the lawmakers and agencies is that if gerbils were allowed to…
