Well I hope all of the Mother’s out there enjoyed their special day and were able to spend time with their families.  The love, support, guidance and encouragement that mom’s provide is something that should be celebrated every day so Thank You to all the mother’s out there (especially my own). Today’s Wild Fact has absolutely nothing to do with mothers or special occasions.  Unless you think  a slimy fish called a Gar is related to Mother’s Day.  So what exactly is a Gar?  Well, they are a long fish which is typically found in the freshwater’s of Central and North America.  So who is up for a boat ride to learn about this interesting fish species?

Before we get any further into this Wild Fact, I am going to have to ask you to put your life-jacket on.  I don’t want any accidents while we are learning about this large fish.  Just how large are they?  Well, some species can get up to 3 m (9′) long but this isn’t necessarily common among all species of Gar.  Even if they don’t grow to this large size they are all considered to be deadly predators.

The Gar is a slow moving fish, therefore they tend to rely on the sheer power and strength of their jaws to dominate the fish world. Not only are their mouths powerful but they are also filled with a ton of sharp, needle-like teeth.  To make matters worse for the little fish and crabs hanging out in Gar territory is the fact that they hunt in schools.  That’s right, groups of Gar will work together in an attempt to ambush the poor prey as one massive  and scary looking fish.  Nobody said life was easy for a small fish in a North American freshwater system.

Gar Fast Fact – Due to the typically large size of the Gar, they actually have very few natural predators.  Some of their biggest threats include alligators, crocodiles, large fish and of course those pesky humans. Luckily the Gar is not considered to be threatened for extinction.  Although their populations are decreasing in some areas due to over-fishing and water pollution.

Well that does it for the first fact of the week.  Make sure you dry off and get ready for tomorrow’s brand new Wild Fact!