phoenix Zoo TRAIL CARDS

Location:
Outer Tropics - Wetlands Exhibit - between elephant & scarlet ibis
History:
Came from St. Augustine alligator farm in Southern Florida.
More Information:
Brutus is the largest at over 10 ft. long
Brutus is fed separately by the keeps because he can be agressive towards the others
Keepers feed/train Brutus on exhibit on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. during warmer months.
During colder season, they go into a torpor and do not eat.
As long as they have water to submerge into, they can tolerate the natural seasonal temperatures here in Phoenix.
A typical dive will last 10-20 minutes. They can stay submerged up to 2 hours if they are at rest.
Egrets nest in this exhibit because there a no other predators.
Ears and nostrils are on top of head
Teeth get worn down and replaced.
Can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime
Sex of juveniles is dependent on temperature of the eggs
Freshwater wetlands from Texas to North Carolina
Ecosystem engineers: holes & nests
Apex predators