Posted on 05/02/2010 4:42:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Photographer Says Gators Can't Tolerate Salt Water For Long
A South Florida photographer recently captured a rare sight on camera in the Atlantic Ocean off Palm Beach. Laz Ruda photographed an American alligator in a reef about a mile offshore.
Regularly found in freshwater lakes and rivers, alligators can tolerate salt water, but only for a short span of time. The salt glands on the American alligator are nonfunctional, unlike that of the American crocodile, according to Ruda's website, TheLivingSea.com.
Ruda said he was 60 feet below the ocean's surface when he saw the alligator.
"As I cruised along the sand, from the hazy distance I could see a dark shadow," Ruda writes. "Not being able to discern its shape too well, I thought to myself, 'Holy cow! That's a huge stingray.'"
Ruda said when he got closer, he couldn't believe his eyes.
"This creature was so out of place that I thought it was nothing more than a well-planned out hoax by my good friends," he said.
Ruda was able to switch between still shots to high-definition video.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was called out to investigate, but the alligator had swam away by then and could not be found.
Ruda said FWC officials told him that gators will sometimes make their way out to the ocean, but if they stay out too long, they will lose their sight due to the salt water and eventually starve to death.
This is a rather common occurrence, here in Australia. We have the salties instead. They’re the biggest.
That it would be the pointiest snout, exposed fang, croc costume wearing gator I’ve ever seen.
The only good gator is the one on the barbee. Or the one with a stomach full of Python meat.
LOL!!
The angle of the picture may be making the snout look pointier than it is.
Thats a blind gator. If it was a croc, the picture taker might be getting fitted for a prosthetic right about now.
“See you later alligator!’’’ “In awhile crocodile!’’
Go Tigers!
It’s not just the shape of the snout from the top, crocs have a knot or knob at the end of the snout. Without additional information, it’s really impossible to tell. Did I also read correctly this was supposedly 60 feet down?
That looks like a croc.
?
They go in the ocean occasionally it’s not lethal to them.
Gator's don't surf!
Thanks, now I can tell them apart! Crocs are on sand, alligators are in water!
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