How Do Alligators Survive The Winter Cold? [PHOTOS]

The Shallotte River Swamp Park in North Carolina posted a video on how alligators are able to survive in below-freezing temperatures.

HOW DO ALLIGATORS SURVIVE THE COLD?

The east coast was pelted with a cold front and snow storms last week, killing a lot of wildlife. Alligators, however, have an ancient survival technique that allows them to survive in the frigid cold. The video posted shows an eerie-looking alligator snout sticking up out of the ice.

Basically, the prehistoric alligator species can survive by wading in water and sticking their snouts into the air, essentially freezing them in place when the water gets to below its freezing temperature. They become embedded in the ice and remain in a state called brumation, which is similar to hibernation. The animals can regulate their body temperatures and stay in one place while limiting their energy use.

Therefore, it’s possible to run across an alligator in brumation and even touch its face, and it will likely not react to save energy.

Last week, the massive bomb cyclone hit the east coast and killed at least 17 people. Sharks and iguanas have also been found frozen solid. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy said it found three dead sharks on a beach in Massachusetts in the past three days as a result of the storm. The first two were thought to have died from “cold shock,” while the third was literally frozen solid – the group called it a “true sharkcicle.” In Florida, iguanas were seen stiffening up and falling out of trees because of the cold.