Alligator Gar Facts
► Alligator Gars are very slow in growth. Males are ready to breed at 6 years of age and females at 11 years. Not much is known about their breeding and reproductive cycles. The female must release the eggs for them to be fertilized by the male and then the eggs sink and stick to the bottom of a water body. Eggs are bright red in color and are unsafe for human consumption. Eggs must hatch in river floodplains, so that the young are protected from predators.
► The silent and deadly analogy seems apt for these aquatic predators. Their mode of attack is lie still and wait, then rush up or ambush their prey, catching them in a sideways grip by lashing their huge heads from side to side. Alligator Gars have been observed, lying dead still on the surface of the water, looking like pieces of driftwood, waiting patiently for a tasty unaware morsel to swim by.
► Though their primary prey is fish, they can eat waterfowl and small birds, turtles, small mammals and even scavenge on dead marine animals. Species like blue crabs are favorites of the backwater type of Alligator Gars. Few predators are willing to take on such a big, tough and mean foe. Young ones are relatively easy targets but once they reach maturity, the only enemy for the Alligator Gar is an American alligator.
Perhaps the deadliest enemy of the Alligator Gar is man. In spite of their fearsome size and behavior, there have been no documented attacks of an Alligator Gar on men. But man’s industrial activities, like building dams and dredging have nearly destroyed the natural habitat of these freshwater dwellers. Plus Alligator Gar fishing is a very competitive and popular sport and its flesh is considered a delicacy, so the species population is severely depleted. Alligator Gars can be kept as pets in an aquarium but their large size and eating habits make them difficult to look after. In summation, this aquatic species is a rare and magnificent specimen of nature and should be treated with respect.