SAVING - Alligators - Strategies & Skills at a Glance

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Himbo

Saving Alligators by Barbara A. Donovan examines the American alligator’s biology, habitat, and role as a keystone species in freshwater wetlands. It explains why these reptiles were hunted toward near extinction and how recent laws and public efforts supported recovery. The text also highlights ongoing human threats while detailing alligator hunting behavior, adaptations, and how to distinguish alligators from crocodiles.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Alligator or Crocodile?

American Alligator

SAVING

Informational Nonfiction SAVING Alligatorsby Barbara A.Donovan STRATEGIES &SKILLS AT A GLANCEComprehension Read toFind Out ·Strategy:Make Inferences andAnalyze How did alligators·Skill:Identify Main Idea and Detailsbecome endangeredanimals?How have·analyzing,conserve,dehydrated,people tried to bringembedded,propel,sedated, Vocabulary alligators back?speculated,vital Vocabulary Strategy ·Analogies:Antonyms CONTENT-AREA VOCABULARYphoto credits COVER:(bkgd)Jeff Vanuga/CORBIS.Words related to alligators i:(c)Ryan McVay/Getty Images.2-3:(b)DarrellGulin/CORBIS.4:(b)Ryan McVay/Getty Images;(c)(see glossary)Siede Preis/Getty Images.6-7:(b)Photodisc/GettyImages.8:(bc)Adam Jones/Visuals Unlimited.9: (tr)Jeff Vanuga/CORBIS.I0:(b)Kevin Schafer/PeterNATIONAL CONTENT STANDARDSArnold.I:(t1)Royalty-Free/Corbis.13:(tr)Philip Gould/CORBIS.14-15:(b)Dave G.Houser/CORBIS.16:(b)APSciencePhoto/Hans Deryk/Pool.17:(t)Philip Gould/CORBIS.18:(b)George Shelley/CORBIS.I9-20:Siede Preis/Getty● Life ScienceImages.21:(b)Stan Osolinski/CORBIS. Word count:2,228** A The McGraw-Hill companies Published by Macmillan/McGraw-Hill,of McGraw-Hill Education,a division of The McGraw-Hil Companies,Inc.,Two Penn Plaza,New York,New York IO12I. Copyright oby Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.All rights reserved.No part of this publicationmay be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means,or stored in a database orretrieval system,without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies,Inc.,including,but not limited to,network storage or transmission,or broadcast for distancelearning. Printed in the United States of America 123456789026100908070605 **The total word count is based on words in the running text and headings only.Numerals and words in captions,labels,diagrams,charts,and sidebars are not included. # SAVING Alligators by Barbara A.Donovan Table of Contents Introduction……………………………… ……………………………2 Chapter 1 The American Alligator.. ……………………………4 Chapter 2 Endangered!……………… …………………………10 Chapter 3 Saving Alligators……… ………………………14 Chapter 4 Alligators Are Back ………18 Conclusion……… ..21 Glossary……………… .22 ……23 Index…………………… Comprehension Check ………………………24 # Introduction The American alligator floats with only its eyes,ears,and nostrils above the water.It's on the lookoutfor prey-and it will eat just about anything.Physically,this creature hasn't changed much since the ageof the dinosaurs.The alligator makes its home infreshwater wetlands that range from North Carolinato Texas to Arkansas. Alligators are important to the ecosystems inwhich they live.They're so vital that they're knownas keystone species.That means that what happensto them affects many other animals and plants in theirhabitat.That's why we must keep a close eye on theirpopulations.Protecting them helps us protect othersin their environment. Alligators dominate their food chain.Except forhumans,they have no real predators.For hundreds ofyears,alligators were hunted for their meat and theirskins.They were hunted to a point of near extinction.Recent laws protected them,and people workedto save these ancient creatures.Now the Americanalligator has made a comeback.Its population isgrowing,but it's still facing threats from humans. Alligators often hunt while half under water,waiting for an animal to disturb the surface ofthe water. The American Alligator There are only two species or kinds of alligators inthe world today.They are the American alligator andthe Chinese alligator.Alligators are reptiles. Alligators have certain features in common withother reptiles.They have backbones,they breathe air,and they lay eggs.They also have scales instead offeathers or hair. ## Alligator or Crocodile? Alligators and crocodiles are very similar inappearance.To tell them apart,look first at theirsnouts.An alligator's snout is shaped more like aU while a crocodile's snout has more of a V shape.On alligators,

FAQs

Why are alligators considered keystone species in their habitats?

Alligators affect many other animals and plants because changes in their populations influence the wider ecosystem where they live.

How can readers tell an alligator apart from a crocodile?

Check the snout shape: an alligator’s snout is more U-shaped, while a crocodile’s is more V-shaped. Also, an alligator’s fourth lower-jaw tooth is covered when its mouth is closed.

What caused American alligators to become nearly extinct, and what helped them recover?

For hundreds of years, people hunted them for meat and skins, pushing them close to extinction. Recent laws and conservation efforts supported a comeback, though threats from humans remain.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Himbo