Chinese alligator, known as the Yangtze alligator, China alligator, or historically the muddy dragon, is a crocodilian endemic to China.
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21 Facts About Chinese alligator
2.
Chinese alligator has been a part of Chinese literature since the third century.
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3.
Many pieces of evidence suggest that the Chinese alligator was an inspiration for the Chinese dragon.
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4.
Chinese alligator said that the alligator lived in "caverns" in the day and hunted at night, and that humans targeted its meat and skin, with its gall bladder having multiple medical purposes.
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5.
Chinese alligator stated that it was found in lakes, rivers, and springs in the province "Karazan".
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6.
In 1656, Martino Martini, a priest, wrote that the Chinese alligator lived in the river Yangtze and was "much feared by the local residents".
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7.
In February, 1869, some Chinese alligator were exhibiting in the native city of Shanghai what they called a dragon, which they declared had been dug out of a hole in the province of Shense.
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8.
However, paleontology has shown that the Chinese alligator has evolved from other now-extinct members of the genus Alligator.
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9.
Oldest definitive record of the Chinese alligator is from the late Pliocene of Japan, around 3 million years old.
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10.
Chinese alligator is almost completely black or dark gray in color as an adult.
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11.
Chinese alligator is an opportunistic feeder, meaning that it can prey on a variety of different animals depending on what is available.
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12.
Chinese alligator is a vocal species, making many different sounds in multiple situations.
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13.
Habitat of the Chinese alligator is bodies of fresh water, particularly wetlands and ponds, in areas transitioning between subtropical and temperate climates.
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14.
Oldest record of the Chinese alligator is a skeleton fragment found in western Japan.
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16.
In 1998, the population of the Chinese alligator was the lowest it had ever been; the largest area it lived in was a small pond along the Yangtze surrounded by farmland, which held 11 alligators.
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17.
Unlike the ARCCAR, where Chinese alligator eggs are collected by the center's staff for incubation in controlled condition, the CCANR allows eggs to hatch naturally.
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18.
Multiple other breeding facilities that house the Chinese alligator exist in various provinces of China, as well as private breeding farms and museums.
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19.
Chinese alligator is kept and bred at many zoos and aquariums in North America and Europe.
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20.
Unlike dragons in myths of the Western Hemisphere, the Chinese alligator dragon is portrayed as a symbol of "royal power and good fortune", frequently helping and saving people.
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21.
The relatively harmless nature of the Chinese alligator is believed to have been an influence for the helpful nature of the dragon.
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