Alligators
are very
important
to the
ecology
of their
habitat.
During
droughts
they
dig deep
holes,
or "dens," which
provide
water
for surrounding
wildlife
communities.
In cooler
climates
Aligators
hibernate
in
dens
, coming
out in
the early
spring
to breed.
Alligators
have
been
relentlessly
hunted
for
their
hides
and have
been
radically
reduced
in
numbers.
The encroachment
of industrial
and residential
development
has had
an extreme
impact
on both
range
and maturation.
