They spent the afternoon floating side by side, basking on a mudbank. Gus showed off by opening his jaws wide—a threat display, but to Delta, it revealed healthy, white teeth and a clean palate. She responded by slapping her head against the water three times: a signal of approval.
Across the swamp, in a private wetland reserve in Florida, a 9-foot female named Delta was also scrolling. Delta was a survivor. She’d dodged poachers, raised seventeen hatchlings to adolescence, and could hold her breath for over an hour. She was tired of smaller males trying to impress her by thrashing their jaws. She wanted stability. alligator dating site
“Your profile says you enjoy bubble trails. I, too, find them a sign of clean, oxygenated water. Also, I once caught a gar so large it took me three days to eat it. Thought you should know.” They spent the afternoon floating side by side,