Post by Morgan Sierra on Jan 17, 2011 17:40:38 GMT -6
An Orange Alligator?
by Morgan Sierra
On January 5, 2011, an orange alligator was photographed in Venice, Florida by a woman named amy Mythen who spotted the strange beast sunning itself beside a canal. The photo quickly created quite a stir as people excitedly tried to find out if a new genetic aberration had occurred. If real, it would be the first orange alligator ever discovered.
Alligators normally range in color from green to brown to black, although some other variations have been spotted. Juveniles are generally striped, but they lose there stripes after only a few years of age. A few white or albino alligators have been found, however they are are extremely rare and almost never survive in the wild since their white skin makes them very easy to spot by both predators and prey. The few known specimens that exist were raised in the safety of captivity in zoos. An orange alligator would likely need similar protection in order to survive until adulthood. So how did this orange gator manage to last for so long?
One possible explanation is that orange is not the gator's natural color. This is the opinion of Florida Fish and Game official Gary Morse who stated, "The official opinion from our alligator experts is that this alligator is not naturally orange. We believe it's orange from paint, stain, iron oxide or some other element in the environment that has left a coating on the animal, making it appear orange."
A close examination of the photo demonstrates that this is the most probable conclusion since the bottom of the tail still has the typical dark green color that many Florida alligators possess. It is likely that the reptile was either stained by some chemicals, coated with mud, or possibly even painted by an overly enthusiastic football fan, since the colors of the Florida Gators college football team are orange and blue.
It is an interesting photo though, and it managed to create quite a buzz as it spread throughout the country in Newspapers, television and on the internet. An orange alligator is not something people see every day. Maybe next it will be purple goldfish and pink elephants...
by Morgan Sierra
On January 5, 2011, an orange alligator was photographed in Venice, Florida by a woman named amy Mythen who spotted the strange beast sunning itself beside a canal. The photo quickly created quite a stir as people excitedly tried to find out if a new genetic aberration had occurred. If real, it would be the first orange alligator ever discovered.
Alligators normally range in color from green to brown to black, although some other variations have been spotted. Juveniles are generally striped, but they lose there stripes after only a few years of age. A few white or albino alligators have been found, however they are are extremely rare and almost never survive in the wild since their white skin makes them very easy to spot by both predators and prey. The few known specimens that exist were raised in the safety of captivity in zoos. An orange alligator would likely need similar protection in order to survive until adulthood. So how did this orange gator manage to last for so long?
One possible explanation is that orange is not the gator's natural color. This is the opinion of Florida Fish and Game official Gary Morse who stated, "The official opinion from our alligator experts is that this alligator is not naturally orange. We believe it's orange from paint, stain, iron oxide or some other element in the environment that has left a coating on the animal, making it appear orange."
A close examination of the photo demonstrates that this is the most probable conclusion since the bottom of the tail still has the typical dark green color that many Florida alligators possess. It is likely that the reptile was either stained by some chemicals, coated with mud, or possibly even painted by an overly enthusiastic football fan, since the colors of the Florida Gators college football team are orange and blue.
It is an interesting photo though, and it managed to create quite a buzz as it spread throughout the country in Newspapers, television and on the internet. An orange alligator is not something people see every day. Maybe next it will be purple goldfish and pink elephants...