American Alligator | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (2024)

FAQs

Are alligators kings of the Everglades explain your answer? ›

No, alligators are not the kings because there are many other predators at higher trophic levels.

Overview. The American alligator is a large, semi-aquatic, armored reptile that is related to crocodiles. Their body alone ranges from 6 - 14 feet long. Almost black in color, the it has prominent eyes and nostrils with coarse scales over the entire body.

The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) grows about 1 foot per year for the first 4-6 years. Then a gator's growth slows down and stops at about 20 years old. They can live up to 50 years.

The main threat facing the American alligator is the destruction and degradation of wetland habitat. Destruction of wetlands frequently occurs in association with human development.

This allows them to strike at their prey quickly, using their heavily muscled tail to propel them through the water. There are approximately 3,000 crocodiles living in the swamps of South Florida, which is a positive change from the hundreds that remained in the 1970s.

Louisiana and Florida have the largest alligator populations—there are more than one million wild alligators in each state. Although alligators can be found in ponds, lakes, canals, rivers, swamps, and bayous in Louisiana, they are most common in our coastal marshes.

As top predators, they are important in controlling prey numbers. Using their tails and snouts to wallow out the muck and push out the vegetation, large alligators construct and maintain gator holes.

It is often seen as a guardian spirit, representing the connection between the physical world and the spiritual realm. In some Native American folklore, the alligator is considered a keeper of ancient wisdom and a protector of secrets, embodying the importance of respecting and living in harmony with nature.

Color: Alligators are often gray or black, crocodiles are olive or tan. Habitat: Alligators prefer freshwater, crocodiles saltwater. Behavior: Alligators are less aggressive than crocodiles.

Alligators live about as long as humans and average 70 years, but can be 100 years old, if they can survive a difficult life which starts with biting and fighting that never ends.

What eats a gator? ›

Juveniles: Small alligators are eaten by a variety of predators including raccoons, otters, wading birds, and fish; however, larger alligators may be their most significant predator. Adults: Cannibalism, intraspecific fighting, and hunting by humans are probably the most significant mortality factors.

Alligators primarily hunt at dusk or during the night. They lie motionless in wait for prey. Their prey selection seems to be determined primarily by size.

Alaska of course. There are no snakes, no alligators, and no crocodiles.

Alligators tend to stop feeding when the temperature drops below 70 degrees and become dormant at around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. They, as reptiles, can slow their metabolism down and become very lethargic, just like humans around the holidays as well.

They're big, they're fast, they're scary looking and they're the king of the swamp! If you haven't guessed who yet, it's the American alligator. Surely no one in the water is picking a fight with these guys, and we're exploring 4 reasons why below!

No animal is more synonymous with the Everglades than the American Alligator. These behemoths can grow upwards of sixteen feet and live for thirty-five years. Everglades National Park is also the only place in the world where Alligators coexist with Crocodiles.

This is due to federal laws protecting them and the efforts of conservationists. There are now around a million American alligators in Florida. Gators are apex predators that play a critical role in their habitat.

The Everglades is a natural region of flooded grasslands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large drainage basin within the Neotropical realm. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee.