Alligators have existed in ponds and puddles in North America for thirty three million years. We humans are a recent annoyance to them. Of course everything is an annoyance to alligators. They have no sense of humor. They sleep in the water or on the shore. Occasionally they swim, and infrequently they eat. Alligators can go for a year without eating, but from my experience they don't usually wait that long.

Humans have an inherent fear of top predators as big as an adult alligator. At the same time I admire their beauty. This fear-admiration confusion exists with great white sharks, wolves and grizzly bears.

Here is a collection of museum quality photos of these clawed, fanged and horned creatures. The Glamorous Alligators.