TRAIL WATCH
← Field guide
No. 030 · reptile · Risk: Moderate

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

American Alligator
In season · SeptemberSoutheast
Field tell
Broad snout, dark armored body; eyes and nostrils above water. Often basks on banks near trails and launches.
Why it matters
Keep distance, especially from nesting females in summer. Never feed alligators.
Habitat
Freshwater marshes, swamps, slow rivers, golf-course ponds, and trail-side canals.
Season
Year-round in the Deep South; most visible in warm months. Nesting May–July.
ALLIGATOR

If you encounter an alligator

  1. Keep at least 30 feet (10 m) away — more if it is a nesting female or has young nearby.
  2. Never feed alligators or approach them for photos. A fed alligator is a dangerous alligator.
  3. Keep pets on leash and away from the waterline.
  4. If an alligator charges, run away in a straight line; they tire quickly on land.
  5. If bitten, fight back at the eyes and snout and call 911 immediately.

Not medical advice. Call 911 or Poison Control 1-800-222-1222.