On a late August evening, Adora hatched from the safety of a three foot high, 10 foot wide nest made of marsh vegetation. Along with her 40 brothers and sisters, she used her “egg tooth” to slit an opening in her egg just wide enough to allow her head to pop out. Instinctively, Adora began chirping. Mother gator arrived as quickly as her 8 foot long body would allow and used her sharp teeth to help Adora from the hard shell that remained. Adora left the safety of her nest and crawled into her mother’s open, awaiting mouth, as all baby gators do.

Only 8 inches long, Adora fit easily into her mother’s mouth. She, along with many of the jostling hatchlings, were carried gently to the safety of the dark, swampy water.

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