American Alligator(Alligator mississippiensis)

A large member of the crocodilian family, the alligator grows quite large and has a mouth full of teeth used for feeding on just about anything they can catch. Fish, birds, turtles, frogs and small to large mammals can all become prey for this sit-and-wait predator. Once threatened by overhunting, the alligator populations are now fully recovered and abundant.

Alligators are widespread in fresh and brackish water bodies in the Southeastern U.S. and Louisiana has plenty of them throughout its many freshwater bodies. There are now alligator hunting seasons in many states and populations are managed for sustainability. Louisiana has implemented a successful alligator program that includes an egg harvest for commercial gator production. This has benefited the wild populations by giving value to the presence of the alligator and its habitat to private land owners who own the majority of the alligator’s range in Louisiana.

The skin is tanned for exotic leather and the meat is sold for eating. Alligator farms, as well as wild caught alligators, supply this industry.