The American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis , is the largest reptile in the United States. It belongs to the crocodile family, whose members have changed very little in 200,000 years. It's one of the few surviving members of the group to which dinosaurs also belonged. The alligator is a large reptile with a broad rounded snout. Adults are mostly black, but young alligators also have bold yellowish markings.
Most adults are six to thirteen feet long.
It is found throughout the southeastern United States with large populations in Florida, Louisiana, and southern Georgia. Its favorite habitat is large shallow lakes, marshes, ponds, swamps, rivers, creeks, and canals. It eats fish, crabs, birds, turtles, snakes, and mammals. Wetland environments have been receiving greater attention in recent years, and there have been increasing demands for their protection. The atmospheric balance of oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur as well as the recharging of ground water are critical issues related to wetland destruction.