OCEAN ISLE BEACH, N.C. — Alligators in one North Carolina swamp have once again allowed themselves to freeze in place with their noses above the ice.
The Swamp Park manager George Howard posted on Facebook that 18 American alligators froze Monday night and stayed frozen all day Tuesday. He said the alligators seem to sense when the water is at its freezing point and poke their noses into the air "at just the right moment."
American Alligators in Ice 2019Think ahead and get prepared for the cold like these American Alligators in Ice
Posted by The Swamp Park on Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Howard has said frozen alligators enter a state of "brumation," which is similar to hibernation.
Alligators in the 65-acre park and sanctuary in Ocean Isle Beach weathered freezing temperatures for the first time this way last January. Howard said those alligators thawed out days later with no apparent injuries.
[WATCH: Gators poke snouts out of ice to survive cold at NC park]
Experts say the adaptation disproves the long-standing belief that alligators are prevented from migrating north due to cold temperatures. The park is along the Shallotte River, about 200 miles east of Charlotte.
Associated Press
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