Why do alligators hiss

Alligators have a natural fear of humans. Therefore, if you hear an alligator hiss, it likely means that you are too close and the alligator feels threatened. If you have a close encounter with an alligator , back away slowly. If an alligator charges at you, back away faster. It is extremely rare for wild alligators to pursue humans because humans are usually too large to be suitable prey. However, alligators are able to run up to 35 miles per hour if they need to.

Alligators have poor eyesight. Alligators actually have very good eyesight, which is an important adaptation for hunting. They are especially adapted to see and sense movement of potential prey animals. The position of their eyes on their head almost on the side gives them a wide sight range.

The only place they cannot see is the area right behind them. Myth 3. Alligators are not good climbers. Alligators have sharp claws and powerful tails to help them push their bodies up. Young alligators are agile climbers and adults have been known to climb fences to get to water or escape captivity.

Low fences, therefore, may not be sufficient protection for pets in areas where alligators are present. Fences should be more than 4. Myth 4. Alligators make good pets. Alligators make terrible pets. Although baby alligators may seem like a cool addition to the family, it is illegal to possess an alligator without the proper licenses and permits from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

However, there are occasions when certain alligators become "a nuisance" and must be handled by the proper authorities. A substantial number of these were not true problem gators, and the sheer volume of these reports is taxing available manpower and resources needed to handle the real problems.

More than alligators were relocated, mostly from subdivisions adjacent to natural habitat. A similar number had to be killed in similar situations. In these incidents alligators had lost their fear of humans and exhibited aggressive behavior.

Relocation is not always a viable option, as by nature these animals are territorial. Relocating problem animals to other areas often creates greater problems. What is needed is a better-educated populace more able to recognize the few nuisance alligators and to coexist safely with the majority of alligators that are not nuisances. The power spectrum shows that the first of the prominent bandwidths contains the most energy over the entire call at 1. This is a "threat call" which, as the name implies, is used against potential threats or aggressors.

This hiss variant is produced when the crocodile is starting to feel threatened in some way. Visual signals e. In this signal, the threat was sufficient to cause the alligator to attack it with an attempted bite. After a single lunge, the alligator resumed hissing and posturing.