Where gators hang out.

[raccoon]

In SC, we have lots of gators, most of them in the lowcountry. I don't think they're in the Upstate. Or not many of them.

Mainly because, here the dirt is red clay, so the water, much of the time, is orange. (I'm aware that that's not always the case.)

The gator wouldn't camouflage in orange water.

Any gator experts out there?

[hlthe2b]

1. Not here, but I don't see an evolutionary advantage ...

Whether gators are camouflaged or not in orange water, what predators do gators have upstate? Do they allow alligator hunting? If not, it wouldn't seem to make any difference to survival. I would guess there is some other environmental factor)s_ that makes them prefer the low country. Unless perhaps, the red clay in streams/rivers makes for less food sources for the gators...:shrug:

[raccoon]

2. Other than people, I don't know of any. Good point.

"what predators do gators have upstate? "

Another thing, the upstate is a few degrees colder than the rest of the state.

[MichellesBFF]

3. Question

Do gators ever mess around with kayakers? Or is kayaking safe in gator (Florida)territory?

[raccoon]

6. Never heard of it in SC, maybe somebody from FL can help you out.

I think they usually hunt at night, though.

[Buzz Clik]

4. Being camouflaged works for predators, too.

If you're trying to sneak up on some critter sucking water out of the river, you need to be unseen.

[hlthe2b]

5. True, but given their large mass, power and speed in water

and relative agility out, I'm guessing that isn't so necessary for gators.... But, who knows?

[flamin lib]

7. Preditors? What preditors?

Gators grow as long as they live and once they get to be two feet long they live as long as they want to.

Which is to day they hang out anywhere they damn please . . .

[Sancho]

8. I'm not a gator expert, but I grew up in SC and now live in FL...

and I do lots of boating and kayaking. There are many fewer gators in SC. I suspect that it's simply too cool. In Fl, there are predators for gators. When they are small, large birds will kill them. I've seen an osprey kill a small gator. After that, people are their main problem. There are gators on the road, in pools, in ponds, and in creeks all over Fl. They are very hard to see in the mangroves and swamps. I think they are pretty good at camouflage, but I don't remember seeing an orange one. Tan maybe. I suspect they would likely turn the color of the mud they were buried in; and I wouldn't want to wash one with Softscrub to figure out the original color!