Texas cold leaves alligators frozen underwater, but still alive. Here's how

Last week, it was so cold in Beaumont, Texas — with lows of 18 degrees Fahrenheit — that alligators across the area were found frozen underwater, while still breathing.

A viral Tiktok video captured footage of one of those alligators completely submerged in frozen water except for its snout, which had broken through the ice.

"The American alligator knew he was going to freeze last night. So what he does is ... stuck his nose out the water and let the ice freeze around his nose," said TikTok user eddiehanhart123, who posted the video.

While it might be a strange sight, this is completely normal behavior for alligators.

To survive icy winters, alligators go into a state similar to hibernation, called brumation. Since reptiles rely on external heat sources to regulate their temperature, brumation allows them to survive cold environments.

https://www.npr.org/2024/01/25/1226660910/alligators-frozen-underwater-brumation-explanation