Burke County
It’s been a while since I delved into animals that were around during the Jurassic Era, so today I wanted to revisit the prehistoric realm and introduce an animal that was there then and still lives today.
This animal looks a lot like an alligator, but it is not a reptile. Its head is what mostly resembles the alligator. It has a bony face with two sets of cone-shaped teeth in its upper jaw. The teeth resemble those of a gator and are where it gets its name. It uses them to grip its prey. It also has a nose that is shaped like a crocodile. This animal is a fish that has been around longer than the alligator. Can you guess its name?
It’s an alligator gar. The alligator gar is the longest gar of all seven different gars still living, and those that are extinct. With very few predators, this fish can live up to 60 years, can reach lengths of 10 feet or more, and can weigh over 300 pounds.
The alligator gar is sometimes referred to as “a living fossil” or “the giant of the gars.” It is considered a mega fish, and to some fishermen, it is known as a “trash fish.”
Gars are the largest fish species in North America that spend most of their time in freshwater. Alligator gars enjoy stagnant water in back streams. They have a unique spongy, vascular swim bladder that is connected to their throat and allows them to live in very poor water conditions. Their swim bladder works like a lung, allowing the gar to gulp air from the surface. It can receive as much as 70 percent of the oxygen needed to survive from just the air.
Even though they spend most of their time in freshwater, they can also be found in brackish and saltwater.
The alligator gar has two predators: alligators and humans. This is mainly due to its armor-like scales. These diamond-shaped scales are almost indestructible. The scales are coated in ganoid, which is like the enamel on our teeth. These glistening, armor-shaped, bony scales make it hard for the gar to be as flexible as other fish, but it can make a small “S” shape curve when it wants to. Native Americans and early pilgrims used their scales as tools. They were also used as arrowheads, armor, jewelry, and to line plows for gardening.
Alligator gars’ red eggs are poisonous to many creatures, including crustaceans, birds, mammals, and humans. However, the poison does not affect fish.
This carnivorous fish is mostly olive brown with a white or yellow belly. It also sometimes has spots on its sides. They mainly eat fish but are opportunists that will eat blue crabs and other crustaceans, turtles and other reptiles, small mammals, and even birds.
How cool is it that gars have been around for such a long time, dating back to prehistoric times, and are still around today? Do you know what else has been around for a long time? The Bible. God has been around since before the beginning of time.
One thing I find awesome is that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His Word never changes despite the changes in society and our world. His Word and laws are the same and still apply to us today. If it was wrong in the Bible, it is still wrong today. God and His Word are really the only things we have in this world that are stable and unchanging.
I will also give you a warning. Many people like to quote a Bible verse and take it out of context to suit their way of thinking. When people quote Scripture, I encourage you to go and read all the Scripture that pertains to that verse so you can see the whole picture and the context that particular verse pertains to. There are several false prophets, false teachings, and deceivers out there who like to mislead Christians. Be on your guard, have discernment, and know your Scripture so you can tell the difference, because God and His Word never change to fit the world’s standards. He will never change His mind and say sin is okay, nor will He ever say evil is now good, no matter how much the world changes.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 NIV
Dear Lord, I pray that You give each one of us discernment to know when people are using Scripture wrongly. Help us choose wisely what we believe and who we trust and follow. Thank You, God, for being the same yesterday, today, and forever. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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Christy Lowman is a Christian author and illustrator that lives in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband and two children. She enjoys writing and illustrating books for all ages. Some of her short stories are published with Guideposts and HCI. Christy gives all the glory to God in everything she does. A portion of every book sold from the Small Bible Character Series will be donated to battle human trafficking. If you enjoy her books, “like’ her author page on Facebook and let her know! You can buy her books at //www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AChristy+Lowman&s=relevancerank&text=Christy+Lowman&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1. You can reach her at //www.facebook.com/authorChristyLowman/
You can read more Christian news from Christy here.
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