Alligators inhabit the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and the Carolinas. Their preferred habitat includes shallow lakes, ponds, swamps, marshes, and rivers. Widespread hunting threatened the species with extinction in the 1960s, causing the American alligator to receive federal protection under the Endangered Species Act in 1973. Today, the species has made a remarkable recovery, such that controlled hunting is permitted in some areas. The American alligator still receives federal protection as a threatened species.
Alligators have an average lifespan of fifty years.
At home in the water, and surprisingly agile on land, alligators have a distinct advantage against any potential prey that finds itself in or near their grasp. Although instances of alligator attacks on people are relatively rare, human negligence and continued habitat destruction could lead to further tragedies. More than two hundred wild American alligators inhabit Texas' Aransas National Wildlife Refuge . All Rights Reserved. Read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service .