Alligators, although they are ectothermic and also equipped with a small brain, exhibit a surprising diversity in their responses to their environment and to each other.
They are for more complex than mere animated logs or 12-foot-long eating machines. This group of pages show some of what I've been able to see in the years I've been
volunteering (September of 2001 through March of 2020) at Brazos Bend State Park.

10/06/2019  On the Spillway Trail at BBSP, I noticed an alligator moving slowly in the water in the same direction I was walking. I always look at
alligator, but this one got extra attention. That was because it was swimming with it head tilted back slightly, which lifted its lower jaw out of the water.
From experience, I figured that this alligator was "up to something" more than foraging for food or cruising. The head lift (picture lower left) is one of
a series of "agonistic" displays performed by alligators. "Agonistic" refers to aggressive interactions--but this includes behaviors that are meant to avoid
aggression, or to minimize it. Alligators normally cruise or forage in water with their head flat--lips below the surface, tip of the nose just above the surface.
It wasn't long before the alligator did another social display--a head-slap.  The remaining three images are frame grabs form the short video clip .  The video
clip also has notes describing the performance of a head-slap. The images are from images taken from a video, and cropped. The camera also has a powerful
zoom. I was at least 20 yards away from this alligator, so the head-slap was most likely not directed at me.  Aside from direct observation of them for about
17 years; my sources for information on alligator social signals comes from 3 main sources:  "Social Signals of Adult American Alligators" ,by Garrick and Lang
 (1978);  "Social Displays of the American Alligator",  Kent Vliet and, Biology and Evolution of Crocodylians by Grigg and Kirshner.

  

03/10/2019   I was walking along the 40Acre Lake trail when I noticed two alligators crossing the lake from the islands towards the North loop of the trail.  One seemed to be chasing the other,
so I hurried around the bend to see what was going on.  I'm always looking for examples of "agonistic behavior"(interaction between animals relating to escalating or minimizing aggression
is called "agonistic behavior"). When I caught up with them, it appeared that there was some kind of "low-key harassment" between the two gators .  The "aggressor" would slowly move 
toward the "submissive"--which would move away at about the same pace. When the submissive stopped moving, the aggressor would press it again--but not by moving straight towards
the submissive gator. That is, it didn't just move close to the nearest part of the  submissive--it seemed to be trying to move closer to that alligator's head...or possibly trying to "herd" the 
submissive by moving in front of it. I had started shooting video right away (the images here are frames from the video), and I moved past the two alligators and looked back. This was so 
I wasn't directly alongside of the confrontation in case one of them decided to leave the water to escape the other.  I've  frequently observed submissive gators leave the water while being
threatened by another gator;  if their path to deeper water-and escape that way-was blocked. As I watched, a slow-motion "dance" unfolded as the aggressor moved past and around the
submissive, who-in turn-would move away a bit. Then the aggressor would close in, and the dance steps would repeat.  In some of the images, I've sketched a line which approximates the
boundary between the zones around each alligator.
   
During all this, it seemed evident that there was a sort of "zone" around each gator-and that all movements towards each other stopped at the edge of this "zone". I could imagine the 
alligators as two magnets of the same polarity, and moving one magnet towards the other would eventually push that magnet away until the force/distance equilibrium was restored. The
alligators stayed a similar distance apart during this entire event.   During this "dance", the submissive showed a warning stance-tail arched with head and back above the water, with the
mouth opened about 1/3 of full-gape.  
   
 I call this a warning stance, but it could also be body-positioning for a defensive biting attack. All through the dance, both alligators moved with reserve-no sudden, quick movements. 
From experience, I know that quick movement by either gator could precipitate a sudden escalation of events--a quick movement to flee could start an aggressive leap from the 
aggressor; or a quick move by the aggressor could yield a defensive bite from the submissive.
  
  

This slow dance might have continued indefinitely, but then a new element was added-by other alligators. Alligators started bellowing off in the distance--one somewhere behind me (North of
me) and at least one to my left (East of me).  I knew that if *I* could hear the bellowing, then the alligators in front of me could, too. So I watched for a reaction. I wasn't disappointed. The 
aggressor moved near the bank and started to bellow...right in front of me. While it bellowed, the submissive alligator showed no visible reaction.
  
The chorus of gators bellowing stopped.  A gator started bellowing somewhere behind me, and the "aggressor" bellowed again.  During and after this bout, I still couldn't see any reaction 
from the "submissive" gator that was next to the bellower.
  
However, I saw a possible reaction as another alligator approached from about 50 yards to the East. It cruised towards the gators in front of me. The "aggressor" bellowed again.  At the
fifth bellow, the gator approaching from the East turned towards the edge of the lake, and began to form the Head Oblique, Tail Arched position. But the water was too deep to allow the 
gator to stand. It moved closer to the shore until it could stand on the lake bottom.  Then the "submissive" alligator and the newcomer began to bellow--while the "aggressor" continued bellowing. 
  
For a few minutes I was treated to 3 alligators bellowing right in front of me!  The events described here took about an hour, and I filmed during most of it. The edited video
can be seen here.  
  
When I reviewed the footage, I noticed that when the two gators in front of me bellowed; there was no "water dance" over the back. This "water dance" is caused by a low-frequency 
"fluttering" of the surface of the back. The fluttering causes "sub audible vibrations (SAV)" which can be felt by other gators(or even by me-through my feet-if I'm standing close enough).
According to one study:Social Displays of the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) by Kent A. Vliet 1989  "The bellowing cycle for female alligators differs somewhat from
that of males.  Female alligators do not produce the SAV signal and the audible bellow of the female is produced as the animal lowers into the water following inflation of the lungs."
(page 1021)  I've directly observed-and read elsewhere-that female alligator bellows sound different from that of a male.(Alligator Reproduction:Courting, Breeding, And Nesting 
Behavior by Ted Joanen and Mark Merchant; in American Alligators-Habitats, Behaviors and Threats ed. by Scott Henke, Phd and Cord Eversole, PhD. "Although both sexes bellow,
the vocalization produced by males is lower in frequency and louder than that produced by females, which tend to be higher pitched and less percussive." (p.98))  The bellowing 
cycle for female alligators differs somewhat from that of males.  This study indicates another difference. I can safely assume that the two alligators in front of me were females ( I 
couldn't clearly see the newcomer's back, but it sounded a bit deeper.).  So it's possible that this competition-or whatever it was-happened between two females!
  
The "aggressor" started moving toward the "submissive" before the submissive had stopped bellowing. The submissive resumed its partial-gape stance.  The two gators remained
in this confrontational situation for a few minutes. Then the submissive gator slowly backed away, turned around and swam back towards the islands, and the aggressor followed. 
And, to repeat, the edited video can be seen here.  

02/18/2018 . It was warmer than usual this morning.  At about 10:50am, I was near the West end of Elm Lake when an alligator started bellowing near one of
the islands. Another answered...and then for about 15 minutes there was a chorus of at least 6 alligators bellowing in Elm Lake.  A few minutes after the chorus
ended, an alligator that was in Pilant Lake, just across the trail from Elm Lake, began to bellow.  The images below are frame grabs from the video clip that I shot.
View the video clip by clicking this link. It's a bit early for mating season (which is March - May) but perhaps this was alligators claiming territory. Or...alligators
have been observed bellowing off-season (such as in the fall) when a warm front has come through. Note the group of leeches that are attached to the underside of
the alligator's jaw!  

    

About 15 minutes later, I watched two alligators that seemed to be competing for a basking spot. There was a brief chase, and then both alligators
eventually crawled up and basked, but about 10 feet apart. The images below are frame grabs from the video clip I shot of the action. To see video
clip click on this link.  It was interesting how both alligators' heads and upper bodies rose out of the water--nearly at the same time. The slowed-down
video shows that the pursuing alligator accelerated first.

    

   

   

  

07/12/2015  Brazos Bend State Park reopened 4 days ago! Some of the park is still not accessible, but the park is open. I was happy to be on the trails. I heard more
than one chorus of alligator bellowing starting around 9am.  The usual mating season has passed (March-May). The June nesting was probably disrupted by the flooding
of the park.  But, 2 alligator nests were built between the 2 flooding events. They were built very close to each other, on what was most-likely some of the only bare dry
ground available.  I'm guessing that the bellowing could have been started by females, possibly claiming nesting sites (I've commented on this before--but haven't read 
about it anywhere. It seemed to me that most of the choruses that started in June appeared to be started by female gators--but I'm only guessing because of the 
different, higher pitch of the calls.) OR--another guess:
The alligators have moved around the park, and even "new" gators could have entered the park during the few weeks of very high water. The bellowing alligators could
be establishing new territory.  I know that at least one male alligator is back in his normal "territory". This one is about 9 feet long, and is one of the few alligators that I
can actually identify. I've got pictures of this alligator elsewhere on my pages. The prominent "mark" is shown in the first 2 images below. There is a white protuberance
on his back, centered in a spot that is missing some osteoderms.

-----
         Large Spillway Male swims East                          Close-up showing the white "bone".             "New" male from left. "Old" facing tree.                     "New" male continues moving.

I followed the male (I will call this one "Old" male because he was there first) as he patrolled; leisurely moving East. Then he stopped, about 50 yards East of
the Spillway Bridge. While I watched him, I heard a head-slap from the direction of the bridge. (I found out soon after that the alligator that made the sound
was behind the bench just East of the Spillway Bridge. The "Old" 'gator immediately responded to the sound by quickly turning and swimming West. Then he slowed,
sped up again, then slowed and turned towards a bank. Meanwhile, the alligator that had done the head-slap ("New" alligator) began moving East 
(towards the "Old" 'gator).
                                                                                                                                                      
-----
        "New" male turns towards "Old".                        "New" male moves slowly toward "Old"                  "Old" male turns towards "New".                      "Old" male keeps turning towards "New".

"New" 'gator was in obvious visual distance as it continued swimming East; and I thought that it might swim past "Old" 'gator. But, it turned towards "Old"
gator, and then slowly...slowly began inching towards it (Actually, alligators that make that decision to closely approach another will usually do that slow approach.)
In this type of interaction, if only one of the alligators is moving towards the other; then the stationary one will finally have to make a decision--usually before
the moving alligator touches it. Sometimes it submits slowly (by turning away; or submerging) or submits quickly (by a sudden quick retreat or dive) or it might
NOT submit and may turn and rush at the approaching 'gator.  But...usually it will do something before the approaching 'gator touches it.
                                                                                                                                      
-----
As "Old" male turns "New" briefly lifts tail.                  "Old" and "New" watch eye - to - eye.                           Staring contest continues.                                  "New" male submerged.

In this  situation, they began a staring contest.  The two alligators were very close in size.  There was no tail thrashing, no snout bubbles, and no tail-arching or
exposure of the entire back. I thought the "Old" alligator was going to submit as it very...very...VERY slowly seemed to submerge. Its nostrils went under and
I though it would continue--but then the nostrils surfaced again.  
Then I was surprised when the "New" alligator submerged.  I couldn't see that it moved anywhere and I waited another 5 minutes and he never resurfaced.
Then I had to leave, because I was signed up to work in the Nature Center.  So, I don't know if anything else happened between these two alligators.
I thought this was a good example of an interaction between alligators. I have seen many interactions in 12+ years ; and most of them start out with the same 
cautious approach. 
If my first notice of interaction between gators seems like it was aggressive, I believe it's because I haven't seen the beginning; but have come in on a later stage.
I've have made this point before, and I use it during my programs:  Alligators have been around a long time, and they have relatively small brains.  But even
Alligators know enough to treat alligators with respect and to give them space.  In just about any "bad " human/alligator situation the fault is with the species that
can read--that is read warning signs, or read state laws regarding Alligators. Like I say on my t-shirt "ALLIGATORS CAN'T READ--BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO."  ----------
                     

April 28, 2013   On Saturday, 4/27/2013 there was rain at Brazos Bend State Park. David said that a very large alligator tried to cross the grass near the Nature Center 
from Pilant Slough, probably on the way to Creekfield Lake. But, a number of visitors were taking pictures, etc., so the alligator turned around. Later that evening, 
David saw the alligator on the road, moving in the same direction, and he made sure it crossed safely.  The distance from Pilant Slough to Creekfield Lake is about
275 yards. Alligators occasionally go to and from Creekfield lake. Distances are measured using the google maps distance calculation tool.  Creekfield Lake is 
about 295 yards long and about 95 yards wide. Its long axis is roughly North - South.  The map images are from Google Maps.


   

When I heard the story the next day, 4/28, I went to Creekfield lake at about 11am to see if the big alligator was there. It was. It was in the water not far from the long 
pier. I went on to the pier to watch it for a while. I noticed a smaller alligator in the water about 10 yards in front of it. Both alligators were just resting in the water.  The
smaller alligator eventually turned and swam towards the far shore of the lake, towards where another alligator was already basking about 100 yards away.  From the
platform of the long pier, there is a bird box South, about 46 yards.  Another box is beyond that one, 113 yards South of the pier. There is a box Southwest of the pier, 
108 yards.  All  of the "wide screen" images are frame grabs from the video that I filmed of what transpired. The edited video is here(mp4) .

 _
I was relaxing, taking pictures of the large alligator, when I heard a loud splash across the lake, in the direction that the other alligator had been swimming.  When I 
looked, the alligator on the bank had its mouth open, and was doing a "slow thrash" with its tail. It was still on out of the water--and I assumed it was the same alligator
that had been on the bank before.  Another alligator was in the water in front of it, probably the one that swam across..  There was also a large alligator on a small 
island out past the second South bird box--about 113 yards away.  The alligator moved off the bank, and swam towards the alligator in the water. That alligator turned,
and swam straight away from it. The pursuit continued, slowly increasing in speed until both alligators produced a conspicuous wake.




The pursued alligator swam straight, and passed on my side of the near bird box. It moved into shallow water. The chase gator stayed a bit further out, then slowly 
moved in.  The pursued gator finally "breached" out into the shallow water, and moved out of sight to me (behind a tree). The pursuing alligator then started chasing
a much smaller one which I hadn't noticed before. The small alligator moved into the deeper water, and eventually submerged and swam away. 



The pursuing alligator then moved towards the BIG alligator, which had been lying quietly during all of the other activity--which had been at least 50 yards away.
 The alligator slowed down, and then eventually moved closer to the big gator. It moved until its snout was almost touching the big alligator's ear. Then it did some
"champing"--clamping its jaws together under the water.


Then it raised its head and bellowed, right near the big alligator's head. After a few bellows, the big alligator started bellowing, and then there was a good bout of
bellowing. During the bout with the two close alligators the alligator out past the bird box started bellowing, too.  After a couple bouts of bellowing, they stopped, 
and the "instigator" alligator swam back to the far bank. 




 
I was very excited to capture this footage. The conditions were almost perfect. The wind was relatively still, and although people were talking, they were in the 
background. Note the difference in volume when the alligators are turned towards me! There are a few good online sources that describe alligator social signals.
  Between them both, most of the actions shown here are described. One of the earliest detailed studies is still available online: 
Social Signals of Adult American Alligators,  by Leslie Garrick, Jeffrey Lang, and Harold Herzog (Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History NY, 1978).  
And, there are: Courtship Behavior of American Alligators, by Kent A. Vliet, Ph. D.--in pages 383-408 of Crocodilian Biology and Evolution edited by Gordon C. 
Grigg, Frank Seebacher, and Craig E. Franklin; Pub. Feb 2001. ; Social Displays of the American Alligator by Kent A. Vliet in Amer. Zool., 29:1019-1031 (1989).
 Search for those titles--a couple of them are out there. When I link to them...they move, so I don't link to outside files any more.
The edited video of these events is here(mp4). I have many other examples of alligator social interaction (agonistic displays) on my alligator "social signals" pages.;
starting with this one.

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