The Alligator Book

The modern-day American alligator has existed for over two million years, a relic of nature's wildness. This complex creature with a constant crooked grin rules the swamps of the South, forms an integral part of wetland conservation, and thrills tourists to its natural habitat each year. Loved or feared, the alligator attracts the attention of anyone who encounters it. Renowned wildlife photographer and naturalist C.C. Lockwood devotes himself to uncovering the latest facts about this ancient dragon-like species in THE ALLIGATOR BOOK.

Lockwood traveled the Gulf Coast to study the alligator in its environment. He also followed biologists through wetland refuges, visited tourist attractions and theme parks, and toured alligator farms and meat processors to create a stunning, definitive photo gallery: newly hatched babies still bearing an egg tooth; mothers cavorting with their young; nine-foot gators confronting the camera; and females defending their nests. Lockwood brings us alongside scientists tagging alligators for research, seasoned guides hand-feeding both captive and wild gators, and nuisance trappers pursuing aggressive or displaced ones.

Firsthand tales about alligators from an array of individuals--including victims of attack and a professional gator wrestler--make for lively reading. In addition, Lockwood features a family album of related species, leaving no question about how gators differ from crocs. For stouthearted enthusiasts or even the mildly curious, an appendix of alligator zoos and attractions throughout Louisiana and Florida is included.

Lockwood's breathtaking volume takes you directly into the world of the American alligator, intriguing the most wary reader and delighting all others.