Gator Country shared video on their Facebook page of an alligator in a state of brumation.
BEAUMONT, Texas — Check out how one Texas critter handled the freezing temperatures across Texas!
The video above is from Gator Country in Beaumont. It shows a gator frozen in ice with its snout above the water. If you’re concerned for the gator, don’t be. This is perfectly natural according to experts.  The gator is in a state of brumation, which is similar to hibernation, just a little different.
The difference between brumation and hibernation is that during brumation, the gator isn’t fully asleep. Its metabolism and heart rate drops.  It doesn’t eat and only drinks occasionally.
Normal brumation in Texas for cold-blooded reptiles like alligators runs from October to March, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife.
On Gator Country’s Facebook page, they say heart rate drops to three beats per minute during brumation.
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