The female will stay close to the nest to keep the eggs safe and scare off any predators. When the eggs hatch the baby alligators will send out a high pitched croak to let the mother know to open the nest. When they first hatch, the babies are only about 8 inches long. They grow about 12 inches each year. They are independant at birth, and can live to be around 50 years old.
Alligators live in the swamps and wetlands of the southeastern United States.
Specifically they can be found in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. These creatures were once on the brink if extinction, but thanks to the conservation efforts in the 1950's to save them, they are no longer an endangered species. The only other species of alligator is the much, much smaller Chinese alligator. Young alligators will eat insects, frogs, shrimp, and tadpoles. When they are adults they eat almost anything.