Chilly Gator

My toes have gotten frostbite here in Minnesota! To follow my doctor's orders, I need to find my way to a warmer climate. Can you help me? My current health care does not cover airfare, so I'm afraid I must hitchhike. Please give me a lift. Thanks!

The American Alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, (known colloquially as a 'gator) is one of the two living species of Alligator, a genus within the family Alligatoridae. The American Alligator is native only to the Southeastern United States, where it inhabits wetlands that frequently overlap with human-populated areas.

One American Alligator allegedly reached a length of 19 feet 2 inches (5.84 m), which would have made it the largest ever recorded, but this has never been verified or even supported by reliable information and is considered highly unlikely by experts. The tail, which accounts for half of the alligator's total length, is primarily used for aquatic propulsion. The tail can also be used as a weapon of defense when an alligator feels threatened. Alligators travel very quickly in water and while they are generally slow-moving on land, alligators can lunge short distances very quickly.

American alligators are less susceptible to cold than American Crocodiles. Unlike the American Crocodile, which would quickly succumb to the cold and drown in water of 45 °F (7.2 °C), an alligator can survive in such temperatures for some time without apparent discomfort. It is thought that this adaptiveness is the reason why American alligators spread farther north than the American Crocodile. In fact, the American alligator is found farther from the equator and is more equipped to deal with cooler conditions than any other crocodilian.