Can Alligators Smell Blood? Gator’s Blood Lust

Alligators are the species that are very dangerous to both humans and animals. Most of the time, they live in lakes and ponds with fresh water.

They have a monster look and can get to be 16 feet long. Their weight can be more than 1000 pounds. They have vast and powerful tails. They use their seats to have a great time when they swim. They also use it to protect themselves as a weapon. They have a big olfactory bulb on their skull. The bulb shape and size are just like a walnut.

Today we have a topic which is that can alligators smell blood. So, we have written all the information about it below.

Do Alligators Smell Blood?

Very interesting question but the answer is “Yes” alligators can smell blood. Like snakes and other animals, they don’t rely on their tongue to smell blood.

They mainly smell through their nose. They can do it from a great distance. It could be farther than 3 miles. These creatures have very strong sense of smell because they can smell a single drop of blood in 10 gallons water.

Also Read: Alligators Sleeping Habits

The Reasons Why Alligators Attracted To Blood?

Alligators are carnivore’s animals. It means their primary source of food is meat. So, just like other carnivores, such as sharks and lions, it is normal for them to be attracted by the smell of blood. After detecting smell, they can think that there might be prey for them which can be a food source.

They are known as opportunistic predators. They can grab their prey actively as well as they can eat already dead animals.

Do Alligators Have Good Sense Of Smell?

Alligators have a very sharp and deep sense of smell.  They process two nostrils on the end of their snout. Typically, they use it for breathing and assembling the smells. So, they are known as smell-detecting receptors.

For breathing purposes, the tip of the snout should be out of the water. In this way, they can breathe easily.

As we mentioned, they have an olfactory bulb. Their nostrils pass on the smell signals to the olfactory bulb. The primary purpose of the olfactory bulb is to recognize the smell. When they breathe, they mainly examine the air.

There are two parts in their brain. Due to these two parts, they can easily detect where the odor is coming from, left or right from the front or straight.

Can Alligators Smell Blood In The Water?

Many of us who have seen them and we are all know how much they are scary. A more common question regarding them is: Can they smell blood in the water?

“Yes”, they can smell blood in the water. It sounds crazy but it’s the truth. They have receptors with a deep sense of smell. They are super sensitive. So, they can do it quickly.

They don’t just affect animals. They are excellent in smell of blood. They have great sense of smell and it doesn’t matter if they are on the water or in the land. They can smell blood anywhere and they do it on a very quick way.

They are such bloody and heartless monsters. They are among the top pitiless animals on the earth. They can hunt every animal or living thing which will they can locate.

Can Alligators Smell Period Blood?

The answer to this question is also fantastic. Well! Yes, they can do this because they have a great ability to smell blood for a very large distance.

So, if you are on your period, it is best to stay away from places with a lot of alligators. Especially at night and early morning, when gators are most active to grab their prey.’

According to research by BBC, there are shallow cases that occur when gators attack humans. There are only 0.06 attacks per 100000 people annually. This shows they avoid humans, but that’s not enough excuse to go near them. They are monsters by nature.

Can Alligators Smell Blood Underwater?

During underwater living, they close their nostrils. Due to this, they cannot remain underwater for whole day and they cannot take a breath underwater. They can hold their breath underwater. They can do it for up to 4 hours.

During such a long time underwater, they usually have a heartbeat of 2 or 3 times per minute. In this way, they can use as little oxygen as possible.

During this, they take out their snout when they need to breathe. In simple words, alligators cannot smell blood underwater.

Can Alligators Hunt By Smell?

The hunting ability of gators helps them a lot to survive. The smelling ability has great importance for them. This ability also helps them to hunt. They can detect their prey as well as protect themselves by the use of their smelling sense.

Their smiling power helps them survive by detecting any other alligator in their area.  When they can’t see in the night or in any other situation, they use their sense of smell to find their pray.  This shows how smelling ability is essential for gators. 

According to researchers of National Geographic, they are two times more successful underwater predators than on land. The main reason for this is that such as other reptiles use sensory organs to grab their prey; they also do it. 

You may feel that the animals lift their heads for some seconds when they want to make a move. They do this because they find the danger.

Final Thoughts

All animals have great abilities, which they use to survive. So, the alligator can smell blood, which helps them to hunt the other animals.

Alligators are very dangerous animals; whenever you see one, try to avoid them. Because they are also very dangerous for humans. I hope you enjoy the information given.

FAQs

Do alligators have good senses of smell?

Yes, an Alligator has a great power of smell. They can smell almost all kinds of rotten meat, dead bodies, their prey, and other animals.

Can alligators live in the sea?

No, they can’t live in salt water. They are freshwater animals. So, they can’t be able to bear seawater.

How fast can alligators run?

Alligators can run fast than the fastest man Usain Bolt. It can run up to 35 mph. On the other hand, the quickest speed of Usain Bolt is 27mph.

Are alligators blind?

No, they have excellent eyesight. It’s not true that they can’t see well.