Alligators
doing the "high walk" are actually performing a number of feats quite unique
for a reptile. Their ankle bones swivel to allow them to support their
weight with their
legs under their body. Also, I've read that the osteoderms
(circular discs of bone) in an alligator's back may be part of a complex
support system that, along with certain
tendons and muscles, help keep
the back supported vertically during high walking, and also stops excess
horizontal bending and axial twisting; and that this is the main
purpose
these structures have remained for.
April
23, 2002
Tuesday, April 23, I was able to take a day off work and get to the park
fairly early. I was certainly glad that I did. I wanted to try to get more
footage, pictures, whatever, of
alligator social activity. I parked near
the Elm Lake picnic area and walked to where I'd seen previous instances
of bellowing. When I reached the spot (about 8:30am) , a nature photographer
that is working on various projects in the park was already there. He'd
been observing a large male alligator, and what he assumed was a smaller
(by comparison) female foraging near a
culvert drainage. This was in Pilant
Lake.
Across the path, and behind us (since we were facing Pilant Lake),
was a large alligator in Elm Lake, close to the edge of the water. Looking
at him, I was sure that he intended to cross over
to where we were watching.
After a period of time, during which I'd glance back at the Elm Lake alligator,
I noticed a large alligator crossing the trail about 50 yards away.
Click here(flv video
436kb, or see FIRST CROSSING,
below) to see him. Not long after that,
the big one in Elm Lake did a wide
gaping display. (flv video 695kb, or see
GAPE
DISPLAY below.)
This was not
related to any thermoregulatory behavior that I could see,
since it was still somewhat cool.
Not
too long after this display, I was looking down at the Pilant Slough, when
I turned around to see the large alligator's snout about 18 inches off
the ground, and nearing the edge of the trail.
He had left the water and
had been walking towards us when I turned around. He paused. I alerted
the photographer, Philippe Henry, and we moved aside to let him pass. While
the alligator
passed, I filmed this
footage. (flv video 857 kb. or see SECOND
CROSSING, below)
The photographer in the clip is not as close as he seems. Do
NOT EVER get this close to an alligator!
--------
-------- ---FIRST
CROSSING------------- ------ GAPE
DISPLAY------- -------------SECOND
CROSSING
The
alligator crossed and went down by the edge of the water. The larger alligator
we'd been watching earlier had moved off, about 20 feet, some time earlier.
Unknown to me, it had quietly
come back. Evidently, its return was noted
by the alligator we'd just seen cross the trail. We had just begun moving
back to our previous filming positions when this alligator turned around
and began climbing back out onto the trail, catching us somewhat off-guard.
He paused at the edge of the trail, allowing me to take a quick snapshot,
then crawled out, and then lay down
right where we'd been standing. He
rested there for a few minutes, and then continued across the path. I was
able to get a short clip of him moving
back into Elm Lake. (flv video, 517 kb,
or
see OOPS, HE CAME BACK!,
below.)
One
thing I find quite amazing is how quiet these alligators are while they
are walking. This is a creature similar to a small dinosaur, sometimes
around 12 feet long, and dragging its tail as
it moves. Still, even on
these granular paths, or while moving through undergrowth, these fascinating
creatures are unnervingly silent.
-------------------
OOPS,
HE CAME BACK!--- - -----I
DON'T KNOW. NICE HAT?
Somewhere
near this time, another alligator crossed
the trail (flv video, 450 kb, or see I
DON'T KNOW, NICE HAT?, above)
about 50 yards away.
May 05,
2002
After seeing a copperhead near Hoot's Hollow trail, I continued on, encountering
a rather fiesty 2 foot alligator (well, he just haughtily watched me pass,
as he stayed near the
trail). I got near my usual area, but did not see
any activity immediately. I eventually found a small (about 5-foot) alligator
near shore, and facing the trail. Previous experience has led me to
believe
that this alligator probably intended to cross the trail to Pilant Lake.
I watched this one for a while, until I noticed a large male swimming from
the opposite shore of Elm Lake and
heading in my direction.
However,
it turned and slowly swam into a small inlet on the opposite shore, where
it stopped. I was slowly moving towards the piers on Elm lake when the
large alligator made a loud
"bellow/headslap" (growl/headslap) from the
opposite shore. Although I heard it, I didn't get to see it. However,
after this, he started moving again, coming again to my side of the lake,
and
towards my position. He stopped very close to the shore, and
waited there. I thought he'd attempt to cross, but a group of visitors
passed by, and he moved off a bit, to a position about 15
feet from shore,
and behind some wild rice. In the meantime, I looked across the trail,
and saw that the smaller alligator (7-8 foot female) had come back to the
culvert opening and was sitting
in the water. This was almost directly across the trail from where the large male was. As I was wondering
what I should do next, the female in Pilant Lake began to bellow, and the
large male
bellowed back from behind the rice. This was a short bout, of
about 4 bellows each. After a few minutes, I was able to see the
large male once again approaching the shore. I once again
thought the he'd
leave the water and cross, but then he turned away.
As I
was waiting, some park visitors came by, and some of them noticed a pair
of smaller (about 4 or 5 foot) alligators about 30 feet away. I moved towards
them and as I did, one of these
smaller alligators approached the shore.
We watched happily as this one walked out of the water, and then rested
with its head near the edge of the trail. After about 5 minutes, it got
up and
crossed the
trail (flv video 1,156kb or SIX FOOTER WALKING,above), to the
great enjoyment of the watching visitors (and myself!). After this,
I moved back towards the big male (he was
at least 10 feet long), and not
soon after I got into position he got up and left the water, moving far
enough to get his tail completely out before he "plopped" down.(OUT
OF THE LAKE, below,
or flv video
322kb) He stayed stretched out long enough for a number of people
to pass. Then he got up and crossed the trail.(MOVING SLOW, below,
or flv video
803kb) After this, I moved
back towards 40-Acre lake, where I'd left
my car.
---------
- -OUT
OF THE LAKE--- --MOVING
SLOWLY--- -- WHAT
A CUTIE! --
THERE SHE GOES----------
June
02, 2002 This morning, I was on
the trail by Elm Lake. I'd been watching two alligators that were close
to shore. since I figured that they'd be crossing the trail soon (to enter
Pilant Lake).
They didn't. However, I was talking to a family who
were visiting the park, and talking about the two alligators. As I watched,
the large male alligator I'd been watching raised it's back out of the
water and neared shore. It had been totally submerged except for its head.
I had the small group of people step back a little, so that he might exit
the water (another couple of people happened
to be passing by). We were
watching the large male, when a young boy, about 4 or 5 years old, I guess,
pointed BEHIND me, and said "LOOK AT THE ALLIGATOR!". I turned my head,
and
sure enough, there was one coming across the path. It stopped when
it noticed us. (WHAT A CUTIE, above), and rested for just a minute
or so. Then it got up and crossed the trail. (THERE
SHE GOES, above). I
refer to it as "she" because it was smaller, and also because its head
wasn't that massive. This alligator walked straight towards the large
male which had been waiting
in Elm Lake, and when she entered the water
(almost walking onto the male), the male turned and swam off, and she followed.
Only afterwards did I realise that the male had raised its body
out of
the water at almost the same time that the female must have been walking
towards the trail- - -from the other side, that is, from Pilant Lake. Remember,
I'd thought that he was about to
leave the water since he was showing
more of his back and head.
February
23, 2003Admit
it. Y'all have missed the alligators showing up here. Well, the picture
below (BIG ONE) should make everyone happy. (Ok. It makes me happy,
and this is my page,
so there it is.) I'm standing by a large (about 11-foot)
alligator on the west side of Elm Lake. He stayed there all day, trying
to warm himself. This alligator had many scars, probably souvenirs
of old
battles with other alligators. Here are a few close-ups of his head.
----
OLD WARRIOR
OBLIQUE VIEW
THAT'S
BONE!
CRACKED BONE?
That's
right. Among his scars is this section of his lower jaw showing exposed
bone. It appears healed (well, except for the exposed bone), and infection
free. However, this old warrior seems
to have other damage, since his eyes
never fully opened in the three hours I was near him. He'll probably lose
his territory soon to a stronger, younger alligator.
After
spending some hours with this one, I was able to make my way to the long
Pilant Slough bridge, where I'd heard an alligator had been seen. Well,
he was there all right--lying on the bridge
like some reptilian toll-keeper.
See the pictures below. Here'sa
short video clip of me walking up and stopping far from this alligator.
(flv video
408kb)
-------
WHAT IS YOUR
QUEST?
WHAT DO I DO NOW?
THERE
HE GOES!
BIG ONE
Notice
how widely opened this one's eyes are, compared to the other alligator.
This alligator finally moved off the bridge as I watched. I thought I'd
filmed a video clip, but alas, only got this one
image. Watching his sleek,
black length sliding leisurely off the bridge was a perfect end for the
day.
March
23, 2003I
got out to the park early today, but didn't get to hear any alligator bellowing.
However, I did get to catch this big alligator (around and ten a half feet
long) crossing one of the
trails. If you'd like to see the video clip,
click here.
(flv video no sound 1,617kb). This alligator is in no hurry! See
TRAIL MEASURING, below.
--------------------------------------------------
JUST MEASURING THE TRAIL
April
27, 2003Today,
I was at the end of Elm Lake by 8:30 A.M.. When I got there, there was
a large male down in Pilant Lake, surrounded--at distances between 12 to
30 feet--by five or
six smaller alligators. As I watched for about 3 hours
(while interpreting for people passing by) I saw this large male foraging
among the weeds. I had the video camera trained on him most
of the time.
The male would occasionally lay very still, then without warning he'd lift
his head and upper body about a foot from the water, and do a sideways
diving grab. I never got to see
what he'd catch. I couldn't leave my camera
on all this time, and it seemed that as soon as I'd turn it off, he'd strike.
Also, he'd occasionally do the "sideways prey herding" technique I've
described
before (see my Alligators
at Brazos Bend State Park Page 6 ), and use his
body to form a small area against the shore. Then, he'd do a leisurely
prey-grabbing move. At about
9:30,one of the smaller alligators crossed
the trail. (see GORGEOUS, below and flv video
1176 kb). At about 12:00 he formed the "bellow position".
I called some nearby visitors over and
turned my camera towards him.
----
GORGEOUS!
TOGETHER
I'M TOP REPTILE!
GOT SOME
FLOSS?
Then,
without the customary bobbing, his back started to vibrate (I thought I
could feel my body shake!) and then he gave one short bellow (see TOP REPTILE,
above; or flv video
634 kb ) .
As you can see, I missed the very beginning of his
bellow. I like this clip because one can hear how impressed the park
visitors were. A couple of them were sure it sounded like a Harley
starting.
He got up on shore near what I assumed was a female (she was in the water
when I'd first gotten there, but got out fairly soon.)(See TOGETHER above).
He stayed there for about
15 or 20 minutes before reentering the water.
Finally, he moved a little further down, moved into the trees, and crossed
the trail on his way to Elm Lake. The picture above (FLOSS) shows
him as he's just left the Elm Lake side of the trail (see the clip-- flv video
451 kb ). From time to time until this crossing, I'd seen something
stuck in the front of his mouth. It appeared to be a
snake at one time...but
I can't be sure. It seemed to have scales, and to be elongated; but it
could have been a fish. As he crossed the trail, I could see this
hanging from the very front of his
jaw (see GOT FLOSS? above). When
he got into Elm Lake, he moved slowly across to the islands. However, a
smaller alligator (which I think is female--see YOU AVAILABLE?, above;
or,
watch the clip flv video
1470 kb ) swam from nearby straight towards him. She gently
nuzzled him, but he didn't seem to respond. Or, perhaps, she just swam
over and said "Hey...you've got
something nasty caught between your teeth.",
and he was too cool to acknowledge his embarrassment. In any case,
he was not responsive, and she swam off. It appeared to me that she
was half his size.
One
further note: The female I talked about last week attacked a 5-foot
alligator that afternoon. She'd been very defensive all weekend. Today,
she was not visible near her young at all,
although they were still there
(although I couldn't count 15).
If you'd like to know more about the park follow these links:
Brazos Bend State Park The main page.
Brazos
Bend State Park Volunteer's Page The
volunteer's main page.
Here are a few links to more information on alligators. There's a LOT of it out there.
Fish and Wildlife Endangered Species
And, this page shows alligators at the park, on land, near various landmarks at the park.Go back to my main alligator page, Alligators
Go back to my home page, Welcome
to rickubis.com
Go
back to the RICKUBISCAM
page.
Go
back to the See
the World page.