Nearly all alligators become sexually mature by the time they reach approximately 7 feet in length although females can reach maturity at 6 feet. Courtship begins in early April, and mating occurs in May or June. Females build a mound nest of soil, vegetation, or debris and deposit an average of 32 to 46 eggs in late June or early July. Incubation requires approximately 60-65 days, and hatching occurs in late August or early September. Alligator eggs are susceptible to drowning, being crushed by the female, predation, and other less common calamities.
Raccoons are the primary predator, although hogs and otters have been reported to depredate nests.
Cannibalism, intraspecific fighting, and hunting by humans are probably the most significant mortality factors. They are not believed to be a significant problem for wild alligators. They prefer fresh water lakes and slow-moving rivers and their associated wetlands, but they also can be found in brackish water habitats.