Why Are There No Alligators In Africa?

Why Are There No Alligators In Africa?

Alligators are large reptiles that belong to the order Crocodilia. They are carnivores that start life eating small invertebrates such as insects, snails, and worms as well as small vertebrates such as birds. As they grow, they feed on larger animals including small mammals, other reptiles, bigger fish, and deer. They occupy freshwater habitats such as lakes, ponds, marshes, and swamps.
Today there are two species of alligator. The American alligator lives in the southeastern States and parts of Mexico, with the biggest populations in Florida and Louisiana. Southern Florida is the only place where alligators and crocodiles live side by side. The other species of alligator is the Chinese alligator which only lives in the Yangtze River and its surrounding tributaries. This is the most endangered crocodilian and in 2015, it was estimated that there were less than 180 individuals left in the wild.
Alligators are only found in the Americas and China. They do not live in Africa like their crocodilian cousins. Here, we try to understand why there are no alligators in Africa.

#alligator #crocodile #africa

[mortocai]

Never understood the difference between alligators and crocodiles until I watched a documentary on them. Turns out an alligator will see you "later", whereas a crocodile will see you "after a while".

[doubleutee]

FINALLY!!! I was asking for this video for the longest! I was always curious about can alligators (or Central American crocodiles) survive in Africa. This video was so interesting, and I learned from it. Thank you so much for tackling this subject.

[duancavurse]

Recent discoveries found that Alligators can survive in salt water just not for too long of a period of time, because some were found traveling the ocean which is primarily salt water.

[HeOfTheBeginning]

I like how alligators can be relatively docile if unprovoked, but crocodiles... "I'm on the hunt Im after you!"

[matthewpopow]

(Crocodile swimming across the ocean)
Croc: oh, shit, I'm hella lost

[stephenkolarac]

Fascinating! I always wondered about that. Thank you for your research!

[wolfpackpete]

Swam between continents...
These breeds are absolutely ancient. WAY older than humans. Has it not been considered that they were at every part of the world which was warm enough for them, before the continents broke apart? Remember, the world used to be 1 big patch of land and sea. Not several continents and islands. The different species of crocodilian have had many millions of years apart to evolve slightly differently.

[BFKAnthony]

I always wondered how the hell the Chinese Alligator arrived there, and the Bering land bridge was my first obvious choice, but it is important to note the American Alligator can survive cold climates by poking the snout above the ice and slow metabolism greatly. So I mean it makes sense just really surprising. Maybe it did swim or used vegetation as a sort of raft. This is how they think the new world monkeys made it to the Americas splitting off from African lineages.

[otway]

While Alligators may not live in salt water they are known to travel thru salt water to get to different area of fresh water

[shatnermohanty]

Thanks for the video, I wanted this for a long time 👍

[harrygreb]

Why are there no wild dogs in North America….I don’t mean coyotes or wolves, I mean like Dingos, African wild dogs, New Guinea singing dogs and Dholes

[valeriebolejack]

There is also a difference in the incubation temp for the eggs. Alligators need cooler (relatively) than crocs

[craigtillman]

The most prolific and intelligent "I don't know" ever.

[et]

Seems that alligators do have some tolerance of salt water, although they don't like it. Alligators have been observed in Santa Rosa Sound near Fort Walton Beach; since that is several hundred miles from the nearest wild crocodile, probably not a mistaken identification.

[lifewithdanny]

Floridian here, alligators can most certainly swim in salt water. Maybe not for days at a time but I've seen them island hop.

[Arigato-Mister-Roboto]

Alligators are absolute in saltwater as well. In the gulf coast of Florida I fill both my tags every year and the biggest gators are in the bays. Usually lurking around the charter boat fishing docks.

[indyreno]

5:54, actually, there are four extant families of crocodilians, Alligatoridae (Alligators), Caimanidae (Caimans), Gavialidae (Gharials), and Crocodylidae (Crocodiles), the latter two families are the sole extant families of the superfamilies Gavialoidea and Crocodyloidea, while the former two are the only two extant families that constitute the superfamily Alligatoroidea.

[dime]

Imagine being a dino and the land just splits in front of you and you start drifting off.

[LavenderLushLuxury]

Great nice cool little video on this, Alligator Dinosaur Crocodilian Subject 🐊

[StandWatie]

Alligators can also survive in Brackish water because although their salt gland isn't as fine tuned as a crocodile they can still tolerate it in lower levels and shorter periods of time. They do have a salt gland from their ancestry though.