The Chinese Alligator
The Chinese alligator looks very similar to the American alligator, but is smaller. 1 & 1b
The Chinese alligator weighs up to 100 pounds and rarely exceed 5 feet in length, even though a few have reached a length of 7 feet (2.1 meters). Reports of 10 feet (3 meters) individuals exist in Chinese historical literature, but such lengths are considered unlikely today considering the current situation of the species.
The Chinese alligator can live for at least 70 years.
The Chinese alligator is how the later one is much more armoured than the American alligator; even the belly is protected and the upper eyelids are covered with bony plates. The snout is more tapered than that of the American alligator and the teeth are more adapted for crushing shells since molluscs with hard shells make up a significant part of its diet. The Chinese alligator has 72-76 teeth, whereas the American alligator has 74-80 teeth.
The Chinese alligator hunts at night. They feed upon snails, mussels, fish, frogs, and rats. They rarely attack larger animals, like the American alligator.
The Chinese alligator is critically endangered. This means there is high risk of it becoming extinct very soon. There are only between 100 and 200 left in the wild. They live along Lake Tai and the lower Yangtze River in the provinces of Jiangsu Zhegiana, and Anhui. Their numbers are so low because of hunting, eating poisoned rats, and people turning their habitat into rice paddies.
In captivity, there are over 10,000 Chinese alligators. They live mostly in the Anhui Research Centre of Chinese Alligator Reproduction and the Madras Crocodile Bank, as well as in numerous zoos around the world.
Chinese alligator head (above)
Chinese alligator (above)
Yellow indicates Chinese alligator habitat.
5-EXTINCT
4-EXTINCT IN THE WILD
3-CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
2-ENDANGERED
1-VULNERABLE
Chinese alligators are #3
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