American alligator – John

Scientific name :

Alligator mississipiensis

Common name :

American alligator

Native to :

the United States

Maximum size :

up to 5 metres

Weight :

up to 360 kg

Conservation status

Range

Diet :

fish, turtles, various mammals, birds, other reptiles

Characteristics :

of all the 23 crocodilian species, the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is certainly the best known. It lives mainly in the swamps of Florida and Louisiana, in the United States of America. In the 1970s, it was on the brink of extinction. Thanks to breeding programmes and careful management of wild populations, this species has fully recovered.

Location in the Tropical Reserve :

on Tortoise Island, opposite the giant tortoises

Reproduction :

during courtship displays, males are able to make the insides of their bodies vibrate, making the water dance over their backs as they bellow to females. These vibrations can be heard up to a hundred metres under water.