American Alligator
American Alligator
The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) has a wide range of habitat in the Southeastern United States. Older male Alligators can mature to 14 feet long and weigh up to 1000 pounds. They can live up to 30 years. Alligators will devour just about anything. They will eat snakes, fish, turtles, lizards and even other small alligators. One of the main ways you can tell the difference between an American Alligator and an American Crocodile is to look at their teeth. With an Alligator just the teeth of the upper jaw are apparent when the jaws are closed. See top picture to the right. With a Crocodile the teeth of both jaws are apparent when the jaws are closed. See the page on Crocodile for its picture. Alligators were removed from the list of endangered species in 1987 but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service still regulates the legal trade in Alligator hides to protect them from over hunting.
Everglades National Park Photo
