They are incubated by the warmth of the sun, and hatch in 9 weeks. The mother alligators guard their nests and protect their young for several months after they hatch. American alligators dramatically affect the appearance of the landscape. They dig gator holes, which support a whole community of other creatures and plants. By building up the land around the gator holes, they create new places for plants to grow.
Humans are the American alligators main threat to survival.
They are hunted for their skin, for leather goods, and for their meat. Before hunting was controlled in 1970 an estimated 10 million alligators were killed for their skins. Conservation efforts have saved the American alligator from the brink of extinction, and its no longer an endangered species. The American alligator is in good hands now, but we have to make an effort to protect it. Its survival is directly linked to the survival of the other creatures in the ecosystem.