By William Croyle
Enquirer contributor

NEWPORT - They chirp like harmless birds. And at 2 months old, a foot long and weighing a measly 3 ounces, these American alligators are harmless.

But that will change drastically in the next few years.

The seven baby alligators are the newest additions to the Newport Aquarium, on loan from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in Florida. They'll be here for the next four to five years so visitors can watch them grow from cute, tiny playthings into ferocious carnivores.

"They'll grow pretty quickly from this point on - about a foot a year for the next six years," said Dr. Tim Mullican, executive director of the Newport Aquarium. "When they get to about 4 feet, you have to start looking out for them."

This is the second group of alligators the aquarium has welcomed since it opened in 1999. Three of the four in the first group were sent back to St. Augustine last month after growing to 5 feet in length. The fourth was moved to the Cincinnati Zoo.

The reptiles always garner lots of public attention, and Mullican is taking the opportunity of the new arrivals to let people know: These craggy-countenanced animals aren't cuddly creatures. And even people trained to care for them while they're in captivity should take precautions.

So when "The Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin introduced his month-old son to a crocodile on Friday at his zoo in Australia, Mullican wasn't among fans.

Irwin was feeding the crocodile a dead chicken with one hand while holding his son in his other arm. The videotape has been replayed for days, as commentators raised questions about whether it was a sensible move.

Though Irwin claims he was in "complete control of the crocodile," Mullican said the animal's actions cannot be controlled.

"They have a very small brain and are hardwired to be predators. As far as domesticating them, it's not possible," said Mullican. "I call it a lapse in judgment. The child was probably safer outside the cage than inside the cage."

While crocodiles are larger, alligators are also very strong - and pretty quick.

Mullican, a veterinarian, said examining an alligator safely takes a few people: one to examine it, one to hold its mouth shut, and one to hold the tail, which the alligator can whip around. They can move at speeds of 25 mph for about 10 yards, but will only go after you if they're hungry, he said.

"If you get close enough and they are hungry, they may try to ambush you," said Mullican. "You have to know where they're at, keep your distance, and respect them as they get bigger."

The new group of alligators is set up in its own aquarium with a deck, complete with heat lamps the gators can crawl under. They are generally fed insects, fish and frogs.

Alligator facts

Physical traits: black in color, plate-like scales on body, broad and rounded snouts.

Size: Generally grow between 6 and 15 feet long and can weigh as much as 1,000 pounds.

Location: Coastal areas like North Carolina, Florida and Texas.

Diet: Fish, frogs, turtles, snakes, birds, raccoons, deer, otters, rodents, insects, snails, young alligators.

Lifespan: May live 75 years or more in zoos. Longevity in the wild is undetermined.

Source: Smithsonian National Zoological Park