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An alligator, often shortened to gator, is a large semiaquatic reptile of the order Crocodylia. It is distinguished by its wide, rounded snout and black or dark olive-brown color. The two surviving species are the American alligator and the Chinese alligator.
The American alligator can grow up to 11.2 feet (3.4 meters) long and weigh nearly half a ton. Chinese alligators are smaller, growing to around 4.6 to 4.9 fee (1.4 to 1.5m) long and usually weighing only around 50 pounds (22.7 kg). Though no average lifespan for an alligator has been measured, several have been known to live into their 80’s.
Alligators are social creatures and often gather in groups called congregations. These groups are typically seen basking in the sun or taking a swim. Alligators regulate their temperatures externally. Like most reptiles, they are ectothermic or cold-blooded, which means they are unable to control their temperature internally. When the weather gets too cold, American alligators are known to spend more time in the water, which holds some warmth longer than the outside air. If the water freezes over, alligators my “snorkel”, keeping their noses sticking out above a frozen sheet of ice.
Alligators also use water to hunt. In the water they can swim up to 20 miles per hour (32.18 km/h) using their tales. On land, though awkward looking, they can run as fast as 11 mph (17.7 km/h). Alligators are not picky about what they eat. They are carnivores, so any type of prey is a meal, including such things as fish, mollusks, birds, small mammals and other reptiles. Though carnivores usually only eat meat, alligators will also consume fruit.
Alligators mate in June and females are known to have only one mate each season. Female alligators are protective, caring mothers. She builds a nest from mud, plants and sticks in which she lays her eggs. After the hard-shelled eggs are laid, the mother alligator will cover them with more mud, sticks and plants. The temperature of the nest determines what sex the offspring will be. Mother alligator watches over the nest while the eggs incubate. In September, when the eggs are ready to hatch, she helps them by removing the debris covering the nest and may also help by breaking the shells with her mouth.
As soon as the hatchlings are born, they can catch their own food. After around two years, they leave their mother’s protection.
In TMNT[]
Alligators have played a significant role in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise as nearly every version includes the recurring fictional character Leatherhead, though he is sometimes portrayed as a crocodile.
Unmutated alligators play a large role in the franchise as well, often depicted living in the sewers beneath New York City.
Mirage[]
In the Mirage continuity, Leatherhead is an ally of the Turtles. As a hatchling, Leatherhead escaped a pet store robbery and found his way into the sewers. While in the sewers, Leatherhead was found by a pair of TCRI Utroms and they decided to take him back to their headquarters. While there he was exposed to some mutagen, which caused him to mutate into an intelligent being.
Archie[]
In the Archie TMNT Adventures comics, Leatherhead starts out as a human named Jess Harley who lived in the swamps. He was transformed by the “witch” Mary Bones who used the Turnstone on him.
IDW[]
In the IDW continuity, Leatherhead first mutated on Burnow Island during the 18th century. His mutation came when a nearby pirate ship unloaded some of its cargo into the water, which included canisters of mutagen.
1987 TV series[]
Leatherhead was a giant Albino alligator before he swam through a portion of Florida’s Everglades swamp, which was contaminated with mutagen.
2003 TV series[]
In the episode Tales of Leo, turtle tots Leonardo and Raphael battle a giant albino alligator in the sewers.
2012 TV series[]
Secretly kept as a pet baby alligator by a human boy, Leatherhead was flushed down the toilet into the sewers when the boy’s parents discovered him. The Kraang found him and performed mutagen experiments on him.
Tales of the TMNT (2024 TV series)[]
A young boy possessed three baby alligators, until they ate a neighbor's dog, leading to him and the boy's father dumping them into the sewer, which angered them. They grew up before eventually starting to terrorize Donatello, Wingnut, and Leatherhead. Donnie Goes Deep