American Alligators
at Audubon Zoo
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Meet American Alligators at Audubon Zoo
American Alligators are familiar yet exceptional residents of Louisiana. They have inhabited our wetlands for millions of years, and they are important contributors to the health of those wetlands. Get a close look at these remarkable North American reptiles while visiting Audubon Zoo or Audubon Aquarium. Don’t miss seeing our rare white alligators as well!
American Alligator Fast Facts
- Conservation Status: Least concern - no current risk of extinction.
- Habitat/Range: Freshwater swamps and wetlands of southeastern U.S.
- Diet: Carnivore—fish, turtles, snakes, small mammals
- Size: Males: up to 16 ft. long, 500-1,000 lbs. Females: up to 10 ft. long, up to 300 lbs.
- Lifespan: 35-50 years in the wild; 60-80 years in human care
- Fun Fact: A group of alligators is called a "congregation."
See Us at the Zoo
See American alligators, including rare white alligators, in the Louisiana Swamp at Audubon Zoo and in the Bayou at Audubon Aquarium.
Alligators can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime.
The word “alligator” comes from the Spanish “legato,” meaning lizard.
7-11 is the largest alligator at Audubon Zoo, at more than 12.5 feet long and 675 pounds.
The largest Louisiana alligator on record measured over 19 feet long.
American Alligator Habitat & Range
American alligators, Alligator mississippiensis, live in a variety of freshwater habitats across the southeastern United States. The vast majority live in Louisiana and Florida.
Learn More About American Alligators Habitat & Range
Historic vs. Current Range
Habitat
American Alligator Behavior
American alligators are social reptiles. They do not nest together or feed cooperatively, but they tolerate living near each other and communicate via body language, bellows, and head-slaps of the water.
Learn More About American Alligator Behavior
Ecosystem Engineers
Alligators are ecosystem engineers in their wetlands habitat. They dig and maintain “alligator ponds” with their snouts. They are constantly moving soil, nutrients, and vegetation around, and this activity improves the quality of habitat for alligators and other wetlands animals.
Basking & Brumating
Like all reptiles, alligators are ectothermic, which means they rely on external heat sources to regulate their internal body temperature. They emerge from the water to bask on logs and on shore, warming themselves in the sunshine. During cold spells, and especially in more northerly parts of their range, they brumate (the reptile equivalent of hibernation) in dens that they excavate.
Hunting & Feeding
Alligators appear heavy and ungainly on land but can be surprisingly quick over short distances. They really excel in water, though. They are strong swimmers and opportunistic predators that hunt primarily at night. As they grow, the size of their prey increases. Adult alligators feed mainly on fish, turtles, snakes, and small mammals. If big and hungry enough, an alligator might go after larger animals such as deer that come to the water’s edge.
Caring for Young
Unlike most reptiles, female alligators protect their young. After mating with a worthy male (who wins her over by bellowing and fighting off other males), she builds a huge mound nest of vegetation, lays 30-50 eggs, covers them, and then guards her nest for up to two months while the eggs incubate. When ready to hatch out, baby alligators chirp from inside their eggs. Soon, the whole clutch is chirping at mom, and she might break open the nest to help her young emerge. Hatchlings are 6 to 8 inches long and black-and-yellow striped. They make their way to the water quickly, and mom may help by carrying some hatchlings in her mouth.
Year One and Beyond
A female alligator will loosely guard her young for approximately one year, but even with her protection, more than 80% will be gobbled up by other animals. Those that survive the hatchling phase will steadily grow to become dominant apex predators.
American Alligator Conservation
American alligators were trapped and hunted to near extinction but have made a remarkable comeback since the mid-20th century. Louisiana’s alligator management program is recognized internationally as a model for crocodilian conservation success and sustainability.
Learn More About American Alligator Conservation
Threats
American alligators have proven themselves to be extremely resilient animals. As a species, they have been around for at least 150 million years and have survived near-extinction more than once. Individually, alligators that reach a length of four feet or more are threatened only by other alligators, people, and environmental pressures caused by people.
Conservation Efforts
American alligators are a notable conservation success story. For centuries, these reptiles were heavily hunted for their meat and skins. By the 1960s, the species was teetering on the brink of extinction. Once listed as endangered and offered protection, though, alligators began their remarkable comeback. The species is now considered abundant, stable, well protected, and well managed across its range. Successful conservation of alligators has hinged on protecting habitat in state and national parks and preserves; providing economic incentives for private landowners to maintain habitat and coexist with this major reptilian predator; carefully managing existing populations through regulated harvests; and carefully managing human-alligator conflict through public education campaigns and rapid response to “nuisance gators.” .
American Alligator FAQs
Where can I see the American Alligators at Audubon Zoo?
You can see alligators, including rare white alligators, in the Louisiana Swamp at Audubon Zoo and in the Bayou at Audubon Aquarium.
Check the Zoo map or download the Zoo app to use the interactive map and easily locate their habitat during your visit.
Are the American Alligators part of any conservation program?
The population of alligators in Louisiana is healthy, stable, and carefully managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries as a renewable natural resource.
What do the American Alligators eat at the Zoo?
Our alligators are fed meat, fish, and specially formulated crocodilian “biscuits.”
What should I do if I see an alligator in the wild?
If you see an alligator, keep a safe distance and do not offer food. Alligators will keep their own distance. When fed, though, an alligator may begin to associate people with food and start to approach. This can lead to dangerous and unwanted encounters, for people and for the alligator. Visit gatorwise.org to learn more about how to live safely with alligators.
Updated November 2025
