Don’t say ‘Later, gator’ to sustainability efforts

Join the force—unite to champion sustainability efforts. After all, it’s good for the planet. Check out this month’s sustainability opportunities and see what you can do to make a difference.



Image credit: NASA/Lauren Harnett

In this image, a tiny American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) pokes its head through a floating mat of duckweed just east of Building 28. This young alligator is leaving the nest for the first time to explore the waterways of Johnson Space Center, still under the protective eye of its mother. American alligators were once threatened with extinction and completely absent from local waterways as recently as the 1960s. Bans on hunting and the restoration of wetlands helped bring this species back from the brink. Today, American alligators are a common game species all along the Gulf Coast. Here at JSC, alligators use the canals, ditches and retention ponds for feeding, breeding and nesting. American alligators play an important role in our native ecosystem and represent one of the best wildlife conservation success stories.
 

Matthew Strausser

Wildlife Biologist

NASA Johnson Space Center