American Alligator Observation

While the lessons we are taught in class about the various types of behaviors, characteristics, and heritages that animals exhibit are informational, they only go so far to help a student visualize them. The Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center located at Laredo Community College has multiple enclosures that display the ecosystem in the Rio Grande and is used as a learning environment for students of all ages. Some of the animals that are studied in the facility include: alligators, a bobcat, a gray fox, raccoons, and a white-tailed deer.
American Alligator One of the first animals you encounter in the exhibit is the Alligator mississippiensis, commonly known as American alligator, falls under the Crocodilia order and in the …show more content…
The bobcat, is categorized under the Carnivora order and Felidae family. The bobcat is one of the seven wild cat species found in the United States. Defined by the black colored tip of their ears and a coat of fur that is combines grey and brown undertones, a bobcat can easily be confused with a lynx who both fall into the Lynx genus and have similar features. Although, a key distinction between the two species is that the black colored tip of the ears for a bobcat is drastically smaller than that of the lynx. On average bobcats typically grow up to 3 feet in height. As solitary animals a favorable environment for bobcats are rocky canyons, but they are able to adapt too many different habitats. In Texas, bobcats are found in the southern region of the state. Bobcats are nocturnal predatory animals that typically hunt birds and small mammals such as mice, squirrels, and rabbits. Their method of hunting involves patiently lying until their prey stumbles upon them. Once the bobcat is in a close vicinity of their prey they will pounce and attack; if their attack is not successful they will only pursue their prey up to a limit of sixty feet of separation between the two. A distinguishable behavior of a male bobcat is that they build small piles of debris from sticks or leaves in which they then urinate on in order to keep track of the paths they have traveled. While bobcats usually breed at any point during the …show more content…
The gray fox is categorized under the Carnivora order and Canidae family. Some of the gray fox’s closest relatives are wolves and coyotes. Aside from the gray fox, there are 3 other species of fox seen in the United States which include: the red fox, the artic fox, and the swift fox. The gray fox is distinguished by a white and brownish coat of fur; there is a black stripe that is seen from the base of the tail to the tip of the tail; in addition, another black stripe that is driven through the nose of the fox across its eyes. On average the gray fox tends to reach a length of thirty to forty-five inches at full maturity. Gray foxes are frequently seen in wooded areas such as forests, but are also capable of living in desert like environments. They tend to reside in hollowed out spaces such as hollow logs or rock crevices. In Texas, gray foxes aren’t specific to a certain region but are seen statewide. The gray fox is a nocturnal hunter for the most part and hunts small animals such as: mice, rabbits, rats, and birds; although, contradictory to the carnivora order they are in, the gray fox is listed as an omnivore since they have been spotted during the day gathering fruits and acorns as a food supply. Despite being a predator, the gray fox’s feeble size also makes it a prey for other animals within the area. When the gray fox feels that it is under

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