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Home , American alligator, Caddo Lake

Wildlife Association presents....

June 2013 Kid’s Quarterly Mini-Mag! Vol. 7 No. 2

Postcards from Nancy....By Cara Bierschwale Howdy, Partners! “AHH!” he exclaimed. “Bigfoot track!” Grant pointed to Only three miles west of crossing the border into , the muddy ground at a large, deep print. It was almost a Grant the Gopher and I are in deep spending some foot long! My heartbeat raced as I tried to make sense of the time at Lake State Park in Karnack, Texas. This area is situation. Just then, Grant and I turned around 25,400 acres of lake, , and beautiful cypress forests towards the sound of something large sliding located right on the border between Texas and Louisiana. and swooshing along the mud behind us. Our Caddo Lake is named for the Caddoans, Native Americans that eyes focused in the dark on some movement lived in the area, and until the early 1900’s this was the only by the reedy bank, and the last thing we saw natural lake in Texas. before sprinting back to camp was something Grant and I came here on a mission: to find evidence of slipping into the dark, rippling water. the legendary Bigfoot. Grant said that there are When we stopped at the same actual reports of Bigfoot sightings around this little store on our way home, Grant Footprints in the mud by Grady Allen lake, and since he believes everything he sees gave the cashier an elaborative on television, he begged me to join him in hopes account of our amateur sighting experience. “Ah of catching a glimpse of his own. On our way well, little ‘dillo,” replied the cashier. “I’ll bet what to the lake, we stopped at a small, local store you saw there was a good ol’ gator. They’re to buy some Cajun-seasoned grub snacks. With common around these parts. It’s a good thing a lively accent and smile, even the store cashier he didn’t see you though… He might have tried said, “Y’all be sure not to run into any monsters Photo by Steve Hillebrand, USFWS to eat ya’!” out here!” I was pretty skeptical of the existence of any fabled “It was an ?” Grant and I answered together. I creature, until one night… added, “The entire time we were at the lake, Grant was so On the second evening of our camp, Grant and I were focused on spotting Bigfoot and I was too busy laughing at him. lured onto a forest trail by the loud sounds of singing cicadas We came very close to meeting a real alligator and missed it! and . A warm breeze was slowly moving around Grant, let’s go back to the lake and try to spot one… from a the muddy banks, causing the long strands of moss clinging to distance.” the cypress trees sway like a floating green curtain. We paid for our snacks and headed back to Caddo Lake. As As we trekked along the trail, Grant just kept saying, “I bet Grant put away his Bigfoot’s Favorite Hangouts book, I handed we’ll see Bigfoot here. Yes ma’am, this is the PERFECT place him my Eastern Texas Wildlife travel guide for Bigfoot to live.” Because I was walking behind Grant, he so that we could learn more about couldn’t see that I was quietly laughing at him for being so and be prepared for a REAL gullible. As the sun started making its way down behind the sighting. trees, the dense forest quickly became darker and the breeze Later, y’all! stilled. In an instant, Grant stopped abruptly, causing me to run Nancy Nine-band into him.

Critter Connections is made Attention Teachers: possible by a grant from the Free class sets available while they last! San Antonio Livestock Exposition. Send your name, school name, grade taught, and mailing address to [email protected] Join TWA Today!      S                                               !       Last year, we provided programming for over 62,000 youth across the state through Distance Learning, Discovery Trunks, Enrichment Modules, Wildlife by Design¸ Learning Across New Dimensions in Science (L.A.N.D.S.), and Texas Brigades. Contact us to find out how we may help you incorporate wildlife and natural resources into your classroom! Most programs are free for teachers. For information on our educational programs, please contact us at 800-TEX-WILD (800-839-9453). Joining TWA is optional. Each membership helps support TWA programs but it is not required to participate in our programs.

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____ Life Member $2,400 ____ President’s Council $1,000 ____ Corporate $635 ____ Patron $375 ____ Family $230 ____ Active $145 ____ Associate $50 ____ Student $20 ____ Youth $12 ____ Online $35 (ages 17-22) (ages 16 & under) All members receive a one year subscription to our monthly magazine, Texas Wildlife. Clothespin Alligator

What You Need:

" Procedure:

1. Hold one clothespin open. Pinch a second clothespin over the top half of the other and glue it in place. The first clothespin will be the body and the second clothespin will be the head. 2. To make the , attach the third clothespin to the back top half of the first clothespin and glue it in place. 3. To make the front legs, start by cutting the pipe cleaner into two equal pieces. Slide one piece through the body clothespin toward the front end near the head. Bend the legs down and bend the ends to shape feet. 4. To make the back legs, slide the second piece of pipe cleaner through the hole between the top half of the body clothespin and the tail. Shape the legs and feet as you did with the front legs. 5. With either paint or markers, color the inside of the alligator’s mouth pale yellow. Color the rest of the body a mixture of black and green.

6. Glue an eye to each side of the alligator’s head. Photo by Cara Bierschwale 2 puzzles.....mazes.....oh my! go ahead.....give it a try! Scaly Search Created by Puzzlemaker at DiscoveryEducation.com

A D H P B R Y C G C A I H Y D E L I T P E R P P A G L T D H WORDS: ALLIGATOR SCALES E B L L L B L M W R O E E X U HIBERNATE Z I B I L A A T H N W C E Q P CARNIVORE J V E D G W K I V I S B T I B RIVER LAKE Y W L B S A B E B V M C W M V ECTOTHERMIC TEETH N O P B G E T M X O A T V M W U S H Q R W M O G R Z R B W L P O E N R I V E R E S Y I C L Y S A L Y A L D G P E P Y L D word searches...... P T Q L A C Y B F V U Q J B G E F A A U C J N F J J N H I F E G Z Z T X S E I H P C O T F E C T O T H E R M I C Q F D E

O B B F G A P U N O C D X F T Photo by Grady Allen Test Your Gator Sense IQ! Adapted from TPWD’s “If You See an Alligator” (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/alligator/safety/index.phtml) Directions: It is rare for an alligator to show aggression towards humans. However, it is good to know the DOs and DON’Ts of alligator encounters. Answer each statement “True” or “False” and tally your score at the end.

1. If you see an alligator swimming in your pool, DO swim with it. ______2. If you hear an alligator hiss, DON’T move any closer to it. ______3. If you see an alligator while walking your pet, DO make sure your pet is on a leash and under your control. ______4. If you see an alligator in the roadway, DO try to pick it up and move it out of the way of cars. ______

5. If you see an alligator, DON’T feed it. ______

6. DON’T swim at dark when alligators like to hunt and feed. ______

7. DO try to remove a baby alligator from its habitat and make it a pet. ______

8. DO enjoy viewing and photographing alligators from a safe distance. ______How does your Gator Sense IQ measure up? Number of Correct Answers 0-1 = Still Evolving 2-3 = Thinking Like a Reptile’s Brain 4-5 = Average Advanced Vertebrate 6-8 = Gator Genius! (See the answer key on page 6.)

Photo by Rusty Ray 3 corner

the Texas Gulf Coast. Although they are freshwater , alligators can tolerate some saltwater habitats. It is Robust Reptiles considered to be the least aggressive of all Crocodilians, but the American alligator is a very powerful reptile and can reach lengths of up to 18 feet from c head to tail. It is mostly black in color and has a large head with prominent eyes, rounded snout, and up to 80 conical teeth at a time. Compared with a ’s, the alligator’s snout is shorter, broader, and has a characteristic large fourth tooth that fits r into a socket in the upper jaw rather than stick out. It also has a heavily Photo by Rusty Ray plated back, webbed feet, and strong tail. Stealthy Hunters American alligators are agile swimmers, can move surprisingly By Cara Bierschwale Photo by Grady Allen quickly on land, and have excellent sight, smell, and hearing. They i hunt in or near the water and will prey on of all kinds, including Scientists believe that reptiles are survivors of the prehistoric ages. Roaming birds snatched from low branches, , , , small the land with the , reptiles were some of the largest animals the world , lizards, , and even other alligators. They use various has ever seen. Today, there are over 6,000 species of reptiles worldwide. techniques and adaptations when hunting, but the most common is to Members of the Class Reptilia, including snakes, lizards, turtles, tortoises, lie in wait at the edges of rivers and lakes for small animals to come , and alligators, are egg-laying vertebrates that have tough, scaly within range to either drink or cross. In addition, alligators can drift t skin. with only its eyes and nostrils above the water and can move within Another important feature of this group is that they are ectothermic (cold- striking distance without being seen. When hunting or holding prey blooded), which means that they cannot generate internal (inside) heat. underwater, they can close off their external nostrils and the backs Instead, they must depend on external (outside) factors to keep their body of their throats to prevent water from entering and can hold their temperature within normal ranges. For example, reptiles may bask, which is breath for up to 45 minutes. Alligators must swallow their food whole to lay flat and still in the sunlight to soak up the warmth. Or, they may press because they do not have molars to chew their prey and will break their bodies up against a warm rock to feel the heat. They must also avoid larger carcasses into smaller pieces by holding them tightly in their jaws t extreme heat by taking shelter during the hottest parts of the day. At very while spinning violently underwater. low temperatures, a reptile’s bodily functions will operate at a reduced rate, although this normally occurs only after the has chosen shelter in a Gator Behaviors burrow or under rocks or when hibernating. Throughout most of the day, alligators prefer to float, partially The taxonomic Order includes around 23 species of semi- submerged, in the water of its lake, marsh, or swamp. As the water table aquatic crocodiles, alligators, and . These animals are believed to drops in midsummer, have changed very little in the last 65 million years. The American alligator however, alligators often e will wallow in water-filled (Alligator mississippiensis) is the largest reptile in the Western Hemisphere and the only member of Crocodilia found in Texas. Once widely hunted for its skin, hollows called “gator this alligator became seriously endangered during the 1950’s and 1960’s. holes.” They will keep this Fortunately, strong state and federal legal protection and conservation laws small body of water open have allowed populations to increase, such as with the Texas Endangered by digging out the sand Species Act in 1973. In addition, enhanced habitat conditions have or mud at the bottom. r contributed to their comeback. During winter months and falling temperatures, The Black Alligator alligators will hibernate in In Texas, American alligators can be found near freshwater rivers, lakes, shallow dens. and of around 120 counties in the eastern third of the state and along Alligator in the water by Grady Allen Both male and female American alligators are very active and vocal, especially during the breeding and nesting season (May through July). Males hiss when threatened and make throaty roars to attract females. While courting, the male alligator will stay with the female for several days, occasionally stroking her body with his forelimbs, rubbing her throat with his head, and blowing bubbles past her cheeks. Mating takes place underwater and the female will find a nesting site near water and begin construction by scraping up available plant debris and mud with her body and tail. She lays her eggs in the middle and covers the top with more vegetation. Her giant nest – at times measuring up to 6 feet across and several feet high – is a giant incubator warmed by the sunlight and decomposing plant matter. After about 2 months, the female alligator’s clutch of 25-60 eggs will begin to hatch. When she hears the calls of her hatchlings, she opens up the nest to her “pod” of hatchlings. They measure around 8 inches long, are black with bright yellow cross-bands, and may stay with the female for 2-3 years. Like other baby animals, alligator hatchlings will grunt when they are hungry, separated from the female, afraid, or cold. Baby alligators by Grady Allen Close Encounters of the Reptilian Kind Due to the expansion of human populations across Texas, there has been an increase in the number of encounters between humans and alligators. As with all wildlife, caution should be taken when an encounter occurs. Most people in East Texas (“gator country”) will live in close proximity to these native reptiles without ever experiencing a confrontation with an alligator. Alligators typically avoid humans and the majority of them are spotted near human habitation while “passing through” in search of a nesting site or territory. There are rare occasions when an encounter becomes serious, however. If an alligator establishes its territory around people, usually in a subdivision nest to natural habitat, it may become considered a “nuisance.” When an alligator is threatening pets or livestock, or the health and safety of humans, it will need to be removed or relocated by the proper authorities.

Young alligator basking on a log by Rusty Ray

Sources: Burnie, David. The Kingfisher Illustrated Animal Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Kingfisher Publications, 2000. Burnie, David and Don E. Wilson. Animal. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc., 2001. Texas Parks and Wildlife. Gator Facts. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_lf_w7000_0488.pdf Texas Parks and Wildlife. Wildlife Fact Sheets. “American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis).” http://www.tpwd.stste.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/americanalligator/ Whitfield, Dr. Philip. The Simon & Schuster Encyclopedia of Animals. Great Britain: Marshall Publishing, 1998. Hanging out in muddy water Did you know... by Grady Allen

…that the easiest way to tell an alligator and a crocodile apart is to look for lower front teeth protruding out of a closed mouth? A crocodile shows these teeth, but an alligator’s teeth fit into sockets in its upper jaw and they cannot be seen. …that their teeth are replaced as they are lost, and an alligator may have 2,000-3,000 teeth in its lifetime? …that whether an alligator hatchling is male or female depends on the temperature of incubation during the first 10 days of its development? …that alligators have weak jaw muscles for opening their mouths, but the muscles which close them are very strong – around 300 pounds per square inch? …that wild alligators can live to be around 40 years old? …that since it does not pant or sweat, a basking alligator may be seen with its mouth open as a way to cool its body temperature down?

Cooling off by Grady Allen

1) F; 2) T; 3) T; 4) F; 5) T; 6) T; 7) F; 8) T 8) F; 7) T; 6) T; 5) F; 4) T; 3) T; 2) F; 1) Gator Sense Answer Key Answer Sense Gator

Color Me Long powerful tail

American 4 toes on hind feet Alligator Black-green scaly skin Alligator mississippiensis

Broad head with rounded snout

6 toes on Webbed feet front feet for swimming Image from www.realisticcoloringpages.com Photo by Rusty Ray 6 Article and Photos By Rose Cooper

Eastern Gamagrass In scattered parts of the state, a very tall grass called Eastern gamagrass can be Seedhead found growing in moist soils of pastures and along stream banks. It is a native, Eastern gamagrass perennial bunchgrass and can reach a height of about eight feet. You might wonder why it’s called a bunchgrass. Well, a bunchgrass is a grass that grows in a clump with the stems reaching upward rather than spreading along the ground and forming a sod, like the grass in many yards. The stems arise from large, scaly rhizomes, which resemble overgrown roots. As the rhizomes grow out and away from the plant, the base of the plant tends to increase in diameter. Eastern gamagrass can have plant bases as wide as four to six feet across. The thick rhizomes are strong enough to help with soil erosion along stream banks by keeping the dirt from washing away. The stems are stout and flattened at the base. The leaves come out of the base and are flat with a distinct midrib, which looks like a vein running down the center of the leaf. The blades can be up to 30 inches long and approximately one inch wide with sharp edges. Birds use the old growth for nest material and cover, while small mammals will use it for denning. Resembling a Finger The inflorescence, or seed head, of Eastern gamagrass is an important identifying characteristic. Its scientific name, Tripsacum dactyloides, helps to describe the inflorescence. The origin of the name Tripsacum is unknown, but some believe the first part of the word may be derived from the Greek words ‘tripsis’, meaning durable, or ‘tripto’ Rhizomes meaning “rub or polish” which refers to the shiny surface Male spikelets of the seed head. The end of the name is from the Greek word ‘psakas’, which denotes “a grain or small piece broken off”. The species name dactyloides can be broken into two words: ‘dactylus’, meaning finger, and ‘oides’ meaning resembling. How does the seed head resemble a finger? Let’s take a closer look. The seed head is made up of one to three spikes approximately six to twelve inches long and containing both male and female spikelets. A spikelet is the basic unit of the grass inflorescence, or flowering part of the plant. Some grass spikelets contain both male and female flowers, but with Eastern gamagrass, the male and female flowers are found on separate spikelets. The male spikelets are paired and are found near the top of the spike while the female spikelets are solitary and stacked at the bottom of the spike. As the spike matures, the male spikelets become leafy in appearance and fall away. The female spikelets, however, become hard, bony, bead-like structures called caryopses. When these stacked caryopses are mature, they eventually will break apart at indentions that look like the joints of a finger. Eastern gamagrass sets seed from April to November, providing food for small mammals and . Where did it all go? Eastern gamagrass was once found in large natural stands, or colonies, however these days they have become harder to find. Female spikelets With a longer growing season than most grasses, some drought tolerance and some flood tolerance, it is no wonder that the Caryopsis early settlers considered it a high quality forage crop. Yet, as time passed, pastures were turned into crop lands and since gamagrass was preferred by livestock it succombed to grazing pressure. Before the early settlers, native animals, such as and buffalo, would migrate through an area grazing as they went along. "#%'* store carbohydrates for future growth. Overgrazing occurs when livestock graze the new growth to an extent that all of its carbohydrates are used up and the plant dies. With proper grazing management, Eastern gamagrass will flourish. Did you know Eastern gamagrass has been known to live as long as 50 years in the right conditions? How’s that for durable! 7 WildlifeWildlife isis inin ourour nature.nature.

You may know the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo hosts one of the most prestigious professional rodeos in the world. You may also know we have one of the world’s largest junior livestock shows and that we support agriculture and education to develop the youth of Texas. But did you know that we encourage responsible management and the use of our beautiful Texas wildlife and natural resources through the Texas Wildlife Expo? Through interactive educational exhibits and hands-on demonstrations that make learning fun for the entire family, you’ll see that our commitment to Texas youth just comes natural.

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