… while Biden was pronouncing “Oppo” as if it rhymed with the author of this article.

Video Shows Alligator Submerged In Frozen Pond In US. Here’s Why
www.ndtv.com/ | January 26, 2024 | Bhavya Sukheja

Alligators can’t regulate their temperature, so they survive the icy conditions by going into a state of brumation – which is similar to how mammals, warm-blooded animals, hibernate. During hibernation, an animal’s heart rate and breathing slow down and their body temperature decreases to help them use less energy. Similarly, in the case of alligators, when ice crystals start to form, their metabolism slows down and their tired bodies gradually become suspended in the frozen water with their eyes closed.

They “instinctively tilt their nose up” so it sticks out of the water to stop them from suffocating, a Swamp Park spokesperson said, as per the BBC. The water around them solidifies and suspends them until temperatures are more comfortable, and the water temperatures increase, they explained.

However, unlike in hibernation, gators and reptiles don’t fall into a deep sleep during brumation. They still have periods of activity allowing them to drink, the spokesperson said. During brumation, it’s thought an alligator’s heart can slow down to as few as three beats per minute.