American Alligator: In Depth Females reach sexual maturity at
approximately 6 feet in length. Springtime courtship rituals are
complex and can last for several hours. Female alligators choose
nest sites above the water level to reduce the chance of
flooding, which would kill most eggs within 12 hours of
submergence. Completed nests are about 3.5 feet high and twice
as wide. Females remain near the nest during the incubation
period, which averages 58-63 days. When danger threatens, she
will rapidly return to the nest to protect her eggs. The
temperature at which the eggs develop determines the sex of the
hatchling. Eggs that incubate at temperatures ranging from 90 to
93 degrees Fahrenheit hatch as males, while those that incubate
from 82 to 86 degrees hatch as females. Intermediate temperature
ranges yield a mix of both male and female hatchlings. The
female opens the nest in response to calls from the hatchlings
when the eggs are ready to hatch. She carries 8 to 10 hatchlings
at a time in her mouth down to t