RARE SIGHTING: Alligator Mom and Dad Interacting with Each Other and with Hatchlings

[@wildthunderbird]

It's amazing how much alligators love their babies! I know that sounds so dumb but I never would have guessed it and especially the dads. I am humbled. I realize after watching your videos just how unaware I have been about different animals and their lives. It's very humbling. You have opened my eyes and you've opened my heart too. Thank you for your beautiful videos. ❤️🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊🐊❤️

[@MichelleSiefkenPhotography]

Thank you so much! I keep learning new things about wildlife. This experience stunned me and made me wonder about so many things I’d learned about alligator behaviors previously. I’m so glad my videos have made such a positive impact on you! Have a wonderful weekend - take care!

[@wildthunderbird]

@@MichelleSiefkenPhotography you're welcome! I'm so glad you are OK 😊

[@wildthunderbird]

I hope you are OK after hurricane Milton swept through your neck of the woods. I'm afraid to ask. I don't want to sound glib, but I hope you are OK and having a good weekend 😊

[@MichelleSiefkenPhotography]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful concern. My family and I are doing fine. We stayed elsewhere during the night of hurricane just in case. We almost weren’t able to get home the next day - our access road had become a lake! Fortunately, we were able to walk around it. Thank goodness our home was undamaged and our power was on! The debris cleanup took some time, but we were lucky to have fall temps making the work easier to manage. We have friends across the city and state still without power and some still dealing with the flooding and damages of Hurricane Helene that struck only a couple weeks before Milton. Thankfully, everyone is safe. ❤

[@wildthunderbird]

@@MichelleSiefkenPhotography that's a miracle your home was OK and you still have power! The devastation in your state is heartbreaking to see, take care and wish you a speedy recovery with the clean up. All the best ❤️

[@MichelleSiefkenPhotography]

@@wildthunderbird Thank you so much!

[@wildthunderbird]

@@MichelleSiefkenPhotography you're welcome 🙂

[@JG31392]

How big do you think the parents are? I’m guessing the male is 10ft+ and the female is around 7-8ft.

[@MichelleSiefkenPhotography]

That would be my guess. Always tricky to tell when they're in the water. Thanks for watching!

[@Snowkitty1424]

😃😍🥰

[@Drago1995]

it's pretty dangerous letting a dad be near the hatchling, and wish people also stop putting human emotions on these animals has they don't have them

[@MichelleSiefkenPhotography]

This is a wildlife reserve. The animals/reptiles do their own thing without human interaction or direction. They roam freely and can leave the marsh and head to the lake or land if they choose. That’s why it’s one of my favorite places to visit. It’s truly an education spending time watching their behaviors and interactions. Sometimes what we have learned doesn’t apply and in this case the male was apparently not a threat to the hatchlings and the mother didn’t feel her young were in danger. Thank you for watching and commenting.