Over the last decade there has been a slight increase in the number of nests produced. The crocodile is primarily a coastal species utilizing mangrove swamps, salt and brackish water bays, and brackish creeks. Crocodiles may also enter coastal canals and borrow pits. Nesting occurs primarily in hardwood thickets at heads of small sand beaches and on marl banks along narrow coastal creeks. There is some data to indicate that hatchlings may require brackish or fresh water during their early development, but more recent studies indicate that frequent rainfall is sufficient to supply the water needs of hatchlings.
Adults withstand full seawater salinity and wander widely in coastal areas.
Many alligator deaths are caused by the direct loss of habitat to urbanization. Other causes, byproducts of urbanization, include human disturbance or intentional killing and accidental deaths in commercial fishing nets and on highways. There is some evidence that decreased fresh water flow into the Florida Bay ecosystem has increased salinities to a point that cannot be tolerated by hatchlings. Heavy predation on hatchlings in Florida Bay, primarily by raccoons, is also thought to be hampering recruitment. The absence of past management programs for the crocodile makes its potential for response to specific measures a largely unknown factor.