American Alligator

American alligators are known as "generalist" carnivores, which means they eat many different types of food depending on their size and where habitat. Larger alligators can consume more food and tackle larger prey animals. Alligators swallow their food whole because their teeth are adapted to grip prey rather than rip or chew it.

Young alligators usually live in water and mainly eat small aquatic animals like fish, insects, and frogs. As they age, they start eating a wider variety of foods, including mammals, birds, and other reptiles. They can even eat dead animals, called carrion, when their usual food is hard to find.

At the Zoo, alligators are offered a diet of specially formulated alligator pellets, thawed fish, rats, and mice.

American alligators are found in the southeastern United States, from Oklahoma and Texas east to the Atlantic coast and south to the Gulf of Mexico. The species continues to occupy nearly all of its historic range.

Although sometimes found in brackish (mixed salt and freshwater) habitats, alligators are more commonly found in freshwater areas like swamps, marshes, rivers, and lakes. Sometimes, they can also be seen in smaller ponds and creeks. The species has also been observed in man-made water structures like swimming pools, retention ponds, and runoff ditches. This is becoming more common as humans continue to develop further into previously untouched habitats.

Many animals prey on alligator eggs and hatchlings, including raccoons, black bears, Virginia opossums, river otters, feral hogs, and birds. Additionally, humans hunt and farm alligators for their meat and skins. Adult alligators are considered apex predators, meaning they are at the top of the food chain.

The primary threat to American alligators is habitat destruction caused by agricultural and residential development, pollution, and saltwater intrusion due to storms or rising ocean levels. To a lesser extent, human-wildlife conflict also threatens this species.

Thick, dark scales cover the body like armor, with lighter-colored scales along the belly. The skin on the back is armored with embedded bony plates called osteoderms or scutes. An alligator's snout is rounded, with the upper jaw larger than the lower jaw. When an alligator closes its mouth, no teeth are visible. These approximately 80 teeth are all generally the same shape but may differ slightly in size. Throughout their lives, alligators constantly grow new teeth to replace any that break or wear down. They can go through 2,000 to 3,000 teeth in a lifetime.

Though American alligators are large, their limbs are short and strong. When they swim, they can tuck their limbs in to help make their bodies more streamlined. Their webbed feet can also help them move through the water. They use their muscular tails to swim with broad side-to-side movements. On land, alligators conserve energy by walking slowly on all fours, lifting their bellies and most of their tails off the ground—a method known as a "high walk."

Like all reptiles, American alligators are cold-blooded and rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature. Depending on the season, you might see them basking in the sun early in the morning or for longer periods on cooler days. They dig out dens or pools as protection against severe weather. These "gator holes" often provide the only source of water during droughts and serve as safe spaces for various wildlife. When temperatures drop, alligators can survive brief cold spells by resting in shallow water with their snouts above the surface, which keeps a breathing hole open if the water freezes. The dens they create in soft banks alongside rivers also help keep them warm in colder weather.

Male alligators usually mate with one female each breeding season, which happens in the spring. In early summer, the female builds a nest made of plants that can be up to 10 feet wide and 5 feet tall. She lays about 35 to 50 eggs and covers them with vegetation, starting a 65-day incubation period. The mother stays nearby to keep an eye on the nest and protect it from danger. She ensures that the eggs stay near water and moist enough, as the temperature is crucial for the eggs’ development.

The temperature of the nest will determine whether the hatchlings are male or female. If the nest is consistently between 90 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit, the eggs will hatch males. If it is between 82 and 86 degrees, they will hatch females. Nests with temperatures in between will hatch both males and females. As summer ends, the baby alligators start making sounds from inside their eggs, signaling their mother to begin clearing away the nesting material. The hatchlings, which are about 6 to 8 inches long, crawl out, and their mother often helps them get to water. Young alligators will spend the first year of their lives with their mother for protection, after which she leaves them to begin the process again.

For American alligators, maturity is not measured in years but by reaching a length of about 6 feet. It usually takes females 10 to 20 years to reach this length and males 10 to 18.

Alligators communicate through a variety of vocalizations, body movements, and postures. Vocalizations can range from deep bellows by males attempting to attract a mate to high-pitched screeches by hatchlings in distress. These are combined with visual communication methods like splashing their heads or tails on the water and arching their backs. The vocalizations also produce frequencies that can be felt or seen, such as the low bellowing from males that causes water to vibrate and droplets to jump.

American alligators are social animals, but they can also be territorial. When they are hatchlings, alligators like to stick together to protect themselves from predators since being in a group helps keep them safer. In places where food and resources are plentiful, you might find small groups of adult alligators living near each other. However, during the breeding and egg-laying seasons, adult alligators typically display more territorial behavior and might not tolerate others nearby.

Usually able to hold their breath 20 minutes underwater; however, they have been known to remain underwater for longer periods of time
if necessary.