Influence of temperature on egg incubation of the wild Chinese alligator was studied during the summer seasons of 1999 and 2000(July to October and August to September,respectively)at three observation sites, Zhuangtou of Xuanzhou County,Shuangkeng and Zhongqiao of Jingxian county, Anhui Province. One nest at each of the above sites was monitored, bearing 19,17 and 19 eggs,respectively. According to the width of the band on the eggs, we estimated the dates that the eggs were laid. We recorded both the nest temperature and atmosphere temperature with an automated temperature data logger (HOBO Temp) during the whole observation period.We found that the average nest temperature maintained around 25 26℃ during incubation throughout day and night,within over two thirds of time in each day the nest temperature being higher than the atmosphere temperature. Analysis of our data revealed that alligator nests have buffering effect on the inside temperature. Higher nest temperature (27 30℃)increased the hatching rate. It was also noticed that the hatching rate varied considerably from site to site(between 0 100%). We conclude that climate is an important factor influencing egg hatching in the wild, and prolonged rainy season which caused large temperature fluctuation can decrease the hatching rate of the alligator eggs.
