Snaggle toothed swimming Alligator

This American Alligator was swimming in the water off of the wading bird way trail at the Circle B Bar Reserve on March 14, 2015 when I took this wildlife photograph. The taxonomic name is Alligator mississippiensis, but it is commonly referred to as a gator or common alligator.  This was a medium sized American Alligator that was about five and a half foot long when it turned and started swimming in my direction. The telephoto function on my GE X2600 camera worked just fine for this photo and a short time later my legs did just fine at moving back away from the water. I was not in the mood to entice this gator with an appetizer named Chris Mercer.