American Alligator

The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is a large freshwater crocodilian native to the southeastern United States, where it inhabits swamps, rivers, lakes, marshes, and brackish coastal wetlands across states including Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, and Texas. Adults can exceed 13 feet in length and 1,000 pounds, with males considerably larger than females, and the species is distinguished from the American crocodile by its broader, rounded snout and the near-invisibility of its lower teeth when its mouth is closed.

American alligators are keystone animals in their wetland habitats: the depressions they excavate with their bodies, known as gator holes, retain water during dry seasons and provide refuge for fish, invertebrates, birds, and other wildlife. The species was listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act in 1967 following severe population declines driven by unregulated hunting for hides, but recovery programs and federal protections brought it back to Least Concern status on the IUCN Red List by 1987. Today, habitat loss from coastal development, prolonged drought linked to climate change, and the spread of invasive species such as the Burmese python (Python bivittatus) in the Florida Everglades remain the primary pressures on local populations.