Carolina alligators ancient reptiles who are local residents live in rivers and wetlands as far north as the Albemarle Sound. Once threatened with extinction due to poaching and loss of habitat, alligators have survived in the more remote areas of our coastal region.
Young alligators feed on insects, frog and fish.
Adult alligators eat insects, frogs, fish, snakes, turtles, birds, small mammals, and occasionally even deer. Of the 37 species of snakes found in NC, six are venomous and live in the coastal plain. They are the Eastern Coral, Eastern Cottonmouth, Eastern Diamondback Rattler, Timber Rattler, Copperhead and Carolina Pygmy Rattler. In NC, snakes are dormant in the winter and become active in the warm months, and snakes can go weeks or months without food. They are cold-blooded, meaning their body temperature is the same temperature as their surroundings.