American Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
The American alligator lives in freshwater swamps, marshes, rivers, lakes, and bayous of the southeastern United States. It is an ambush predator that waits partly submerged before lunging with powerful jaws. Its diet includes fish, turtles, birds, mammals, and other reptiles, with larger prey subdued by dragging and rolling in the water. By digging and maintaining “alligator holes,” it creates wet refuges that many other animals use during dry periods.
- Type
- Water / Fang
- Conservation status
- LC
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- American Alligator