{"id":10455,"date":"2022-02-03T20:30:09","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T20:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=10455"},"modified":"2022-04-01T21:51:27","modified_gmt":"2022-04-01T21:51:27","slug":"alligator-vs-crocodile-who-would-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/alligator-vs-crocodile-who-would-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Alligator Vs. Crocodile: Who Would Win?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You may have seen pictures or videos of alligators and crocodiles, and perhaps you thought they were the same type of animal. The truth is, though they are both crocodilian reptiles, they have many differences. What are the differences, you may ask? Which one is bigger, stronger, more dangerous? In a fight of alligator vs. crocodile, who would win? Keep reading! In this article, we\u2019ll answer all of these questions and more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the Differences Between Alligators and Crocodiles?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Crocodile<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before discussing which of these ancient reptiles would win in a head to head fight, we should start by discussing their differences. Crocodiles and alligators<\/a> tend to look pretty similar, but they actually have quite a few differences if you know what to look for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a closer look at some of those differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snout shape<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most notable difference between alligators and crocodiles is the shape of the snout. If you compare these two animals side by side, you will notice a definite difference between a crocodile\u2019s snout and an alligator\u2019s snout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Britannica<\/a>, alligators have wide, flat, rounded snouts, generally shaped like a U if you\u2019re looking down from above. Crocodiles, on the other hand, have more narrow, V-shaped snouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jawline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The shape of the jawline is also different. This difference is most notable when their mouths are shut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alligators have a simple jawline that only shows their top teeth when their mouths are closed. Crocodiles have a more curved jawline that exposes both their top and bottom teeth when their mouths are closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coloring<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alligators have a much darker coloring than crocodiles. They are dark green to nearly black in color, and this coloring is uniform all over the gator\u2019s body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crocodiles, meanwhile, are usually much lighter in color. Depending on species, they may be an olive green to a light brownish gray, and they often have a more speckled pattern on their tails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold tolerance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both alligators and crocodiles tend to live in warm tropical and subtropical environments, but alligators can handle the cold a little better than crocodiles can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the United States, alligators live as far north as North Carolina, while crocodiles are only found in extreme southern parts of Florida. During periods of cold, alligators will brumate, or hibernate, which allows them to survive even when temperatures dip below freezing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number of species<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are 14 species of crocodile and only 2 species of alligator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distribution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Alligators are only found in parts North and South America as well as in eastern China. Crocodiles are more widespread; they can be found in southern North America as well as throughout South America, Australia, Africa, and Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both alligators and crocodiles have been around for millions of years, but crocodiles are older than alligators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crocodiles can be traced back in history as far as 70 million years, while alligators made their first appearance about 55 to 65 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out this video to get a visual on some of the differences between alligators and crocodiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RdrTqJY4siY<\/a>