baby gator (3 days old)

had to run up to the wetlands boardwalk after work (even though I had lots to do to get ready for camping trip this weekend. Had heard that an alligator nest had hatched on Sunday, but couldn't get there because working.) The mother still had them in the same area, right near the boardwalk, in shallow water. When I leaned over the railing with the camera, she lunged forward a little and started to try to gently lift up a couple of the babies with her mouth for safety, then stopped- guess there's worse dangers to them. There was a documentary crew filming the hatching, so she must be getting used to the cameras. This one sat on a section of her tail for a little while- there seemed to be at least twenty babies scattered all around her, looking for food, hiding in the plants, and swimming around.