Quick Take
- Alligators are cold-blooded, but their parenting instincts run surprisingly warm, and this quality shows up in a behavior most people have never seen. See this parenting behavior →
- Baby alligators face a hidden survival threat that has nothing to do with being eaten, and their mothers have a clever fix for it. Discover the survival fix →
- Most reptiles abandon their eggs and never look back, but alligators break that rule in a striking way.
- A baby alligator perched on its mother's head looks adorable, but there's a very calculated reason it's up there. See the calculated reason →
Baby wearing is the practice of using a special sling or wrap to carry a baby. Humans aren’t the only ones who ‘wear’ their babies; alligators hold their babies in unique ways, too. One way is by letting them rest on the parent’s head. This YouTube video by Michelle Siefken Photography shows a group of baby alligators resting on their mother’s head. Read here to learn why they do this.
Riding on their mother’s head helps babies stay warm and protected from predators.
©Marc Pletcher/Shutterstock.com
Alligator Baby Wearing
Alligators are surprisingly caring parents. In the video above, a mother’s babies are seen climbing and resting on top of her head. The adorable moment was thankfully caught on camera and left many viewers curious about whether this is a normal behavior. For the most part, yes, it is, and there are a few reasons why. The most likely reason is for thermoregulation. Young alligators are prone to losing heat faster than adults and are not the best at regulating their own body temperature. To help compensate for this, they pile onto their parent and bask in the sunlight. This helps them to stay warm, keeping the babies happy and healthy.
Another reason a baby alligator may rest on its mother’s head is simply for safety. Baby alligators are extremely vulnerable because of their size and age. For example, they are often hunted by birds, turtles, snakes, or large fish. To protect their young from dangers in the water or air, mothers keep their babies on their heads or backs so they always know where they are. The adults’ sheer size is intimidating to potential predators. It’s common to see babies riding with their mothers as they may stay together for up to three years. This is unlike most reptiles, which, after laying their eggs, will leave the babies to fend for themselves. Watching these alligator babies stay with their mothers is not only adorable but also highlights how caring alligator parents can be.
