If you're like most, you know what crocodiles and alligators are but have no idea of the difference between them or which is which. You might find this interesting. I know I did.
In The U.S. crocodiles are found in only one region -- southern Florida. Alligators also make south Florida home but they can be found in several other states, though mostly in the southeast. South Florida is the only place known on earth where crocs and gators cohabitate in the same area.
The easiest way to differentiate a gator from a croc is by the color. Crocodiles will typically have a lighter, olive brown color while alligators tend to have darker, almost black skin. Crocodile wallets will reflect this color difference by their lighter, almost golden hue. Alligators prefer to be in a freshwater environment while crocs would rather be in brackish water and sometimes will even venture into the ocean.
While similar in many ways, these two reptiles are actually from different families. Alligators belong to a family called 'Alligatoridae', while Gators are from the 'Crocodylidae' family. Both are dangerous, primitive and, when in proximity, demanding of immediate respect! They both possess huge and powerful jaws that can do considerable damage.
These are primitive beasts and have been around on earth for some 200 million years and have remained relatively unchanged in that time. It's amazing to realize that in the short span of a single person's life these animals were hunted into near extinction. Between the years of 1900 and 1967 these reptiles were nearly wiped off the face of the earth. Endangered species laws helped prevent this from happening but it's still a problem in some parts of the world. Thankfully, the American alligator has been removed from the endangered species list through conservation efforts. The crocs, however, are still in danger.
There are other ways to tell the difference between crocs and gators, such as the way the teeth are arranged. Even when his mouth is fully closed you can still see both rows of a crocodile's teeth and they interlock with each other perfectly. You can only see the upper teeth when an alligator closes his mouth as the lower set disappears into sockets in the mouth.
The manufacture and sale of accessories made from alligator hide has been booming recently. This is partly because huge farms in Southeast Asia grow these animals for the purpose of making alligator wallets, belts, shoes and luggage. Croc and gator hides are very durable, long lasting and beautiful. They make nice stuff!
