Crocodiles are the true ocean travelers. Thanks to special salt glands on their tongues, they can filter out excess salt and spend weeks at sea. Alligators don’t have that superpower, which is why you almost never spot them on beaches or remote mangrove islands. That little biological detail also explains their maps. Crocodiles have spread across almost every continent, while alligators have stayed much closer to home.

So here’s a handy Florida field guide: if you’re in a freshwater swamp and see a wide, rounded snout with the lower teeth tucked away, say hello to an alligator. If you’re near the coast or in brackish water and spot a pointed, V-shaped snout with a full double row of teeth showing — that’s a crocodile.

Hena’s Blog For Paws © 2019 by Hena Osman is licensed under CC BY 4.0