American alligator – John

Scientific name :

Alligator mississipiensis

Common name :

American alligator

Native to :

the United States

Maximum size :

up to 5 meters

Weight :

up to 360 kg

Conservation status :

Least Concern (LC)

Distribution :

Florida, Louisiana, Texas

Diet :

fish, turtles, various mammals, birds, other reptiles

Characteristics :

of all the 23 crocodilian species, the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is certainly the most famous one. It mainly lives in Florida and Louisiana swamps, in the United States of America. In the 1970s it was facing the threat of extinction . Thanks to breeding programmes and balanced management of the populations in the wild, it is no longer endangered.

Location in the Tropical Reserve :

on Tortoise Island, opposite the giant tortoises

Reproduction :

During the courtship dance, males are able to make the inside of their bodies shake, making the water vibrate which will attract the females. These vibrations can be heard up to a hundred meters under water.