The Alligator Book

Lockwood traveled the Gulf Coast to study the alligator in its environment. He also followed biologists through wetland refuges, visited tourist attractions and theme parks, and toured alligator farms and meat processors to create a stunning, definitive photo gallery: newly hatched babies still bearing an egg tooth; mothers cavorting with their young; nine-foot gators confronting the camera; and females defending their nests. Lockwood brings us alongside scientists tagging alligators for research, seasoned guides hand-feeding both captive and wild gators, and nuisance trappers pursuing aggressive or displaced ones.

Firsthand tales about alligators from an array of individuals--including victims of attack and a professional gator wrestler--make for lively reading. In addition, Lockwood features a family album of related species, leaving no question about how gators differ from crocs. For stouthearted enthusiasts or even the mildly curious, an appendix of alligator zoos and attractions throughout Louisiana and Florida is included.

Lockwood's breathtaking volume takes you directly into the world of the American alligator, intriguing the most wary reader and delighting all others.