See you later alligator, crocodile in the Nile! We have all heard that before! But have you noticed these creatures closely? Both animals are cold blooded amphibians. They can often be spotted basking on rocks in the sun. While they appear to be similar, they are actually different.

Alligators, come from the family of Alligatoridae. There are only 2 living species of alligators left in the world -the American alligators (gators) and the Chinese alligators. Alligators appeared on earth about 37 million years ago.

‘Alligator’ has evolved from the Spanish word ‘el lagarto’ - lizard. An American alligator can grow to 13 feet length and weigh about 800 pounds, while the Chinese alligator is smaller at about 7 feet long. Alligators live in freshwater areas like swamps, marshes wetlands, rivers and lakes. The ‘Gators’ of the Everglades National park are famous. You can also find them along the Mississippi river. A few decades ago, gators were hunted aggressively for their valuable hide and meat. At one point of time, American alligators were considered endangered. But thanks to conservation efforts they are now back to a sustainable population level. Thank God for that!

Crocodiles (crocs) come from the Crocodylidae family and have been around for some 55 million years! They can live on salt and freshwater areas. Crocodile comes from the ancient Greek words ‘krokos’ and ‘deilos’, meaning "pebble worm". There are many species of crocodiles around the world, but the most famous is the Nile crocodile. They come in a range of sizes from the dwarf crocodiles at 3.3 feet to saltwater crocodiles at 15.9 feet. The larger varieties can weigh as much as 2600 pounds!

If you were asked to spot an alligator from a crocodile, here are some quick features you should look for.

● Alligators have broad U-shaped snouts, while crocodiles have thinner V-shaped snouts.
● We cannot see alligator’s teeth when they have their mouths closed. Crocodile’s teeth can been seen even with their mouth closed.
● While alligators can stick their tongues out, Crocodiles cannot do so because their tongue is attached to the roof of their mouth.
● Alligators are grayish-black while Crocodiles are tan in color.
● Alligators can be found only in southeastern U.S. and parts of China. Crocodiles can be found all over the world.
● Alligators cannot thrive in saltwater, while crocodiles have glands in their mouth that can filter out salt allowing them an opportunity for life out at sea.

Of course there are many more differences between the two. But hopefully the one’s I have shared with you can help you get started when you go Alligator/Crocodile spotting…