Chicago Zoological Society

Ups and Downs with Alligators

Big gator, big problem
The American alligator is the biggest reptile in North America, and one of the biggest in the world. The record for biggest gator goes to a male more than 19 feet long! Alligators grow their whole life, and a 50-year-old alligator can get really big. Unfortunately, not so many years ago there weren’t very many big alligators left. In America, large gators were hunted to the point they became rare, and then when the big ones were gone, the smaller alligators were killed before they could grow big, and then not as many were born...you can see how that caused problems for the gators!

The plight of the alligator
Alligators have always been prized for their thick hide, but beginning in the late 1800s, alligators became more commercially valuable. Hunting continued to increase through the mid-1900s, but there wasn’t much regulation about how many could be taken. Their durable skin was made into leather materials like boots, purses, shoes, wallets, and many other products. In 1962, harvesting alligators became illegal, but poachers still took their toll and the population continued to drop. In 1970, laws were passed that finally helped slow down the illegal alligator product trade.

Recovery
Within a decade, alligators made a remarkable comeback. By the 1980s there seemed to be alligators all over the south. Some places allowed controlled hunting, and alligator farms sprang up all over Florida. Farming alligators is a multi-million dollar industry and takes pressure off the now healthy wild populations.

Don’t mess with mom
As long as they aren’t hunted, alligators can flourish. Part of the reason for their success is that female alligators are great moms. Before the 50 or so eggs have hatched, the female is fiercely protective of the nest and will drive out any intruder, even larger males.

After the little alligators break out of their eggs, the eight-inch long juveniles are potential food for many other animals. Raccoons, hawks, frogs, and great-blue herons all dine on the hatchling alligators if they get the chance. The best way for the hatchlings to survive is to stay near their mother. Young alligators will inhabit the same part of the water as their mother for nearly three years. By then they are almost four feet long and able to defend themselves.

Crocodilian confusion?
The term "crocodilian" refers to all the large reptiles we know as crocodiles, alligators, and camains. The fact that alligators are classified as "crocodilians" sometimes is a bit confusing. And to add to the confusion, crocodiles and alligators are pretty similar in appearance. How do you tell them apart?

Alligator or crocodile?
It’s actually pretty easy to tell alligators from crocodiles: alligators have broad, rounded snouts and crocodiles have narrower, pointed snouts. Alligators are nearly black in color, and crocodiles are more greenish gray. Crocodiles usually have a tooth from the lower jaw that is visible even when the jaws are closed, while alligators don’t. If you see a crocodilian in the wild in North America, chances are it’s an alligator. The American crocodile is rare, and found only in brackish water in extreme southern Florida, while the American alligator can be seen pretty easily throughout much of the south.

American alligators at Brookfield Zoo
The Swamp at Brookfield Zoo is home to two male American alligators.