American Alligator - Alabama


Alabama had been part of the Mississippi territory. It was separated and designated as its own territory prior to Mississippi becoming a state in 1817. Saint Stephens served as the territorial capital from 1817 to 1819; it was then moved to Huntsville. Cahaba became the first state capital, serving from 1820 to 1825.

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Alligator mississippienesis - There are two species of alligator in existence today: the Chinese alligator, found throughout the Yangtze River basin, and the American alligator, found along the coastal waterways from North Carolina to Florida and as far west as Texas. The alligator can be traced back 180 million years to the Triassic period and is the least changed reptile on earth since its first appearance. Size varies by location and climate, but the average male grows to a length of 4 meters and weighs about 350 kilos; females are smaller.