Why does that alligator have a missing foot or leg?
Gatorland®’s breeding marsh and lake areas are basically natural Florida habitat for the alligators, except that they get to eat a lot more often than they probably would in the wild. Male alligators fight fiercely during mating season in territorial disputes. As long as they are kept in natural social groups for breeding, there will be some fights and some alligators will end the mating season with serious scars or even missing limbs. Fortunately these animals are very well adapted to this situation, as it has been going on for millions of years. The loss of a limb to a crocodilian is a much less serious matter than it would be to a mammal, since they can automatically cut off circulation to the area to stop bleeding, and powerful antibiotic compounds in their blood work to prevent infection. They can survive very well with injuries that would easily kill a mammal. However, missing limbs do not regenerate as they might in a lizard. Click to find out more about the healing properties o
