Alligators are one of the most iconic reptiles in the world. If you’ve ever wondered what a female alligator is called, you’ve come to the right place.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: female alligators are called cows.
In this comprehensive article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about female alligators, including what they are called, how to tell males and females apart, breeding and nesting behaviors, and more.
The Proper Term for a Female Alligator
Cows
The proper term for a female alligator is a cow. Female alligators reach sexual maturity around 8-10 years old and a length of 6-7 feet. Once female alligators reach this size and age, they are able to mate and produce eggs. This is why large, mature female alligators are referred to as cows.
The term cow is commonly used by alligator farmers, researchers, and enthusiasts. It is an easy way to distinguish the mature breeding females from immature alligators and male bulls. Calling female alligators cows reflects their role in reproduction and evokes imagery of livestock mammals that also have gender-specific terms like bulls and cows.
Differences Between Male and Female Alligators
There are some key physical differences between male and female American alligators:
- Males are larger – Adult male alligators typically reach 10-15 feet in length, compared to 8-10 feet for females.
- Broader snouts – Male alligators have broader, rounder snouts compared to females.
- More teeth – Adult male alligators have about 74-80 teeth, while females have 66-72.
In addition to physical differences, males and females exhibit distinct behaviors, especially during mating season. Male alligators are territorial and use loud bellowing roars to attract females. Females are caring mothers who build nests and protect their hatchlings.
By understanding the characteristics and roles of male and female alligators, it becomes clear why breeding females are referred to as cows. This distinctive term captures the essence of mature female alligators as powerful maternal figures essential to the survival of the species.
Alligator Reproduction and Nesting
Mating Season
The alligator mating season usually occurs in early spring, from April to May. During this time, male alligators called bulls, make loud bellowing roars to attract females. When a female approaches, the male will slap his snout in the water and blow bubbles to impress her.
Alligator courtship involves head rubbing, nuzzling, and biting. After mating, the male does not stick around to care for the eggs or hatchlings.
Female alligators, called cows, reach sexual maturity at about 8-10 years old, when they are 6-7 feet long. Males mature a few years later, around 10-12 years old, when they are 7-9 feet long. Alligators are polygynous, meaning dominant males mate with multiple females while subordinate males may not get to mate at all.
The female can store sperm for up to four months before ovulating and using it to fertilize her eggs.
Nest Building
After mating, the female will begin building a nest of vegetation, sticks, leaves, and mud in May or June. The nest is called a hole or pit. She collects nesting material by grabbing it in her mouth and carrying it to the nest site.
The nest is usually a mound of about 2-3 feet high and 5-10 feet across. She excavates a center cavity using her back legs, where she will deposit her eggs.
The nest location depends on the habitat. In marshes, nests are often built on floating islands of vegetation. In rivers, lakes, and swamps, nests are built on dry land with good sun exposure. Ideal nest sites are elevated for drainage and warmth from the sun and decaying vegetation.
Sometimes a female will use the same nest from previous years, adding new material each time.
Incubation and Hatching
The female lays 20 to 60 white eggs and covers them with more vegetation. She may lay eggs in multiple nests across her territory. The eggs measure about 5 inches long. She then stays near the nest and aggressively guards it for the 65 day incubation period.
The temperature determines the sex – eggs in the center that incubate at 91-93°F become males, while cooler eggs around the outside become females.
When the eggs start hatching in late August or early September, the hatchlings call from within the eggs to synchronize the hatching. They use a temporary egg tooth to break out of the shell, a process called pipping. Once out of the egg, the baby alligators are about 6-8 inches long.
They gather in pods near the nest for protection. The mother may open the nest to help free the hatchlings but does not actively assist them.
The mother alligator stays with the hatchlings for up to a year before abandoning them to mate again. Baby alligators eat small fish and invertebrates at first but graduate to larger prey as they grow up to 8 feet long in the first 5-8 years. They reach full adult size of 10-15 feet in 30-50 years.
Alligators in captivity can live up to 70 years.
Caring for Baby Alligators
Growth and Development
Raising baby American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) from hatchlings to adulthood requires dedication as their needs change dramatically during the first few years. Hatchlings start off tiny at 6-8 inches long but grow 3-4 feet per year for the first 3 years, slowing down to about 1 foot per year as they reach maturity at 6-7 feet long.
Proper space is essential, as a 6-7 foot adult alligator requires at least a 6 foot long enclosure with a sturdy pool area for swimming. Monitoring factors like temperature, humidity, water quality, and cleanliness will also promote healthy growth.
Because alligators are cold-blooded, maintaining proper ambient and water temperatures is crucial for ensuring their feed intake and growth rates are adequate. Baby alligators do best at around 88-92°F ambient temperature during the day with a 95°F hot spot for basking and water temperature around 86°F.
Overhead ceramic infrared heat emitters work for the ambient areas while under tank heat mats or submersible aquarium heaters are options for warming the water. As alligators grow larger, these temperatures can be reduced slightly to 80-88°F ambient and 82°F for the water.
Dietary Needs
An alligator’s diet will shift dramatically during its rapid early growth, as hatchlings start by eating mostly insects and small fish, while juveniles graduate to larger whole food items like rodents, fish, birds and other small animals as they grow bigger and more powerful jaws.
Variety is key to ensure complete nutrition with whole animal items ranging from silverside fish, crickets, mealworms, shrimp, eggs, chicks, rats, rabbits, quail and Nutria as they grow larger.
When feeding alligators, it’s recommended to offer food equal to about 5% of the alligator’s body weight 2 times per week for younger ones, reducing to 2-3% body weight for larger 4ft+ alligators. Since rapid growth can lead to bone and joint abnormalities, monitoring weight gain and adjusting portions if needed is advised.
Lack of appetite or excessive thinness/lethargy can also be signs of improper housing temperatures.
Housing Considerations
Raising alligators outdoors has its advantages as they evolved for outside life, but also leaves them vulnerable to temperature fluctuations, predators, toxic runoff issues, or potential escapes, so many experts favor indoor controlled environments.
An adult alligator will require at least a 6 foot long land area with a sturdy pool taking up about half of the floorspace and 12-18 inches deep for adequate swimming room. Substrate can be natural options like cypress mulch to help hold humidity at the desired 65-85%.
As large powerful predators, safety precautions are also needed even with pets raised from babies who seem to bond with owners. Adults should have a secure cage that prevents climbing and potential injury/escapes with reinforced enclosures of coated wire, wood & hardware cloth mesh.
Electrical hot wires along enclosure tops can also deter climbing attempts. Living spaces also need adequate filtration systems to handle waste and maintain water quality. While cute babies grow into impressive creatures, always respect the power and speed of these massive carnivores demanding substantial space and feeding.
Reptile sanctuaries are an option those unable to meet needs longterm.
Threats and Conservation
Habitat Loss
One of the biggest threats facing female alligators is the loss and degradation of their natural wetland habitats. As human populations expand, many wetlands have been drained and converted to agricultural land or residential and commercial development.
This removes crucial breeding and nesting grounds that female alligators rely on. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, habitat loss has reduced alligator populations dramatically in the past.
For example, it’s estimated that over 90% of the habitat in Louisiana has been lost since the 1930s.
To help combat habitat loss, government agencies and conservation groups are working to protect and restore wetland areas through purchasing land, creating preserves, and promoting responsible land use practices.
Major wetland protection efforts are underway in states like Florida and Louisiana where female alligators live. For instance, Louisiana has over 1 million acres of land preserved specifically for alligators through its Alligator Resource Program.
Hunting and Poaching
Hunting female alligators was unregulated for many decades, causing extreme declines in their numbers. Since being listed as endangered in 1967 and then threatened in 1987, strict hunting regulations have been enacted to help populations recover.
For example, there are set seasons, size limits, bag limits, and tagging requirements for legal alligator hunting across the Southeastern U.S. Some areas even prohibit hunting females at all since they are essential for reproduction.
Despite regulations, illegal poaching remains an issue. Alligators are poached for their skins, which are made into wallets, purses, boots, and other leather goods. According to the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC, an estimated 300,000 alligators are killed illegally each year in the U.S. Stronger enforcement of poaching laws is critical to stopping this threat.
Protection Efforts
Several laws and programs have been implemented to protect female alligators and support the recovery of populations:
- The Endangered Species Act – This provides strict protection for endangered species like alligators and regulates hunting and trade of threatened species.
- State hunting regulations – As mentioned above, these control legal harvest of alligators and protect females.
- Alligator farming – This supplies the leather industry with sustainably harvested alligators, reducing poaching demand.
- Headstart programs – Hatchlings are raised in protected captivity for 1-2 years before being released into the wild to boost survival rates.
- Habitat conservation – Government and private programs preserve wetlands and nesting grounds.
Thanks to these efforts, American alligator populations have rebounded significantly. Their status was upgraded from endangered to threatened in 1987. They are still vulnerable to habitat loss and poaching though, so continued conservation action will be important going forward.
Conclusion
Hopefully this article provided the detailed information you were looking for about female alligators, properly known as cows. Their unique reproductive behaviors and role as mothers is fascinating.
Alligators face threats, but with ongoing conservation efforts, these iconic reptiles will continue to thrive. Understanding the terminology for males and females is just one small part of appreciating the amazing biology of alligators.
