they can run 40 mph?

I have a new terror. It blows the cajun eater out of the water. Literally. Well, technically, I think it would drag them into the water. But let's not get bogged down in semantics. The fact remains that I've found something new, and much more rational to be afraid of. (Which makes it worse by the way).

ALLIGATORS!!!!

They're here. They're real. And the associated facts are making me oh so glad that there isn't a body of water near me that I can't see the bottom of. Though I'm now paranoid about the stupidly deep storm drains here. I mean, I get it- I've experienced the crazy rain that occurs here and makes them necessary, but that doesn't stop me from thinking of IT and that crazy clown every time I pass. Or an alligator. In fact, I'm now afraid to walk past them for fear a alligator with clown arms will reach out and grab my leg. 

So I guess I'm afraid of two things now. Alligators and storm drains. 

It's been established in other blogs that the internet is a terrible source of too much information that can make a paranoid person like myself riddled with silly fears all the time. However, for once, it has proved helpful. Fun fact? Alligator eyes glow in the dark. Well, if you shine a light on them, they will glow. Red for adults, green for the kiddos. So, flashlight up people. It's important! Because these prehistoric leftovers from a previous ice age can run! Well, sprint. But sprint crazy fast- which is much faster than even a motivated and fit individual like myself can muster. They can get up to 40 mph in a straight line. 

Let's think about that fact shall we? That means, that if you were being chased by an alligator and got in your car, you'd need to break the speed limit just to outrun them. Because the speed limit in a park/swamp recreational area is going to be less than 40. But more importantly, could you even outrun them to your car? I couldn't. Which makes that straight line bit important. Our strategy here is to zip and then zag. Because it'll be the only thing that lets you outdistance it! 

More importantly, the fastest animal is a cheetah, well, fastest mammal. They can run at 70mph. So alligators are half as agile as cheetahs. Insane! Granted, they lose in a long distance competition, but it's of no matter if they've overtaken their prey in the first 20 feet!

*This sign found in at the Great Trinity Forest in Dallas

Since I know you're itching for some more fun facts- here you go-

• Each year airplanes in America collide with an average of one alligator a year.....on runways.
• Alligators are only present in two countries- China and the US. 
• The Chinese alligator is endangered and rarely exceeds 7 feet
• the US alligator has reached lengths of 19 feet. Meaning some can leap nearly ten feet. If they weren't so grumpy we should enter them in the Olympics!