Crocodile ‘petrified’ in the middle of a frozen lake

Gary Saurage, co-owner of Gator Country theme park in Beaumont, shared a video of several alligators completely submerged except for their snouts protruding above the ice to breathe. Crocodiles breathe about one breath per minute when frozen. Their hearts also beat slower, only 3 beats/minute, Phys.org reported on January 24.

Beaumont, a city about 70 miles east of Houston, is experiencing record cold weather. Temperatures dropped to -11 degrees Celsius on the morning of January 22, the coldest the city had experienced in nearly 120 years, according to the National Weather Service. The cold air also brought with it white snow cover. Even though the conditions are not ideal, crocodiles still find a way to survive.

To survive the bitter winter, alligators and many other reptiles go into a state called “brumation” similar to hibernation, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. They usually begin hibernation in mid-October and emerge in early March, moving around during the warmer days. Short-snouted crocodiles have existed for millions of years and have found ways to adapt to extreme weather. “They are genius animals,” Saurage commented.

The American short-snouted alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is mainly distributed in rivers, lakes and swamps in the southern United States. This is the top predator and is extremely important to the biodiversity in the area where it lives. Short-snouted crocodiles mainly eat fish, turtles, snakes and small mammals. However, as opportunistic predators, they can eat almost anything when hungry, including carrion, pets, and even humans, although very rarely.

Currently, up to half a million alligators live in Texas, concentrated in the southeastern region of the state. Gator Country is home to 450 alligators, alligators and other reptiles. About 90% of the animals here are rescued or abandoned individuals.