Quick answers
| Question | Answer | Scope | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where they live | The southeastern United States, mostly in freshwater cypress swamps and marshes. They can handle brackish water and turn up in salt marsh now and then. | American alligator, Big Thicket and Cumberland Island pages | NPS, Big Thicket National Preserve; NPS, Cumberland Island National Seashore | |
| What they eat | Young ones eat mostly insects, small invertebrates and fish. Bigger ones move on to snakes, mammals, birds, larger fish and other alligators. | American alligator, Cumberland Island page | NPS, Cumberland Island National Seashore | |
| Do they eat fruit? | Sometimes, it seems. Stomach contents have held a surprising amount of fruit and plant matter. | American alligator, Big Thicket page | NPS, Big Thicket National Preserve | |
| Do they hibernate? | No. Below 55 degrees Fahrenheit they go dormant in dens, a state called brumation, but still drink and come out to bask on warm days. | American alligator, Cumberland Island page | NPS, Cumberland Island National Seashore | |
| When they stop eating | Below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, because they need warmth to digest. | American alligator, Cumberland Island page | NPS, Cumberland Island National Seashore | |
| Boy or girl? | Nest temperature decides. Nests at 30 degrees Celsius and below give females, 34 and above give males, and in between gives a mix. | American alligator, Cumberland Island page | NPS, Cumberland Island National Seashore | |
| Young | The mother carries hatchlings to the water in her mouth. They stay with her at least a year, and up to three years. | American alligator, Cumberland Island page | NPS, Cumberland Island National Seashore | |
| What eats them | Raccoons, snakes and hogs eat the eggs. Wading birds and raccoons hunt the young, but larger alligators are probably their main predators. | American alligator, Cumberland Island page | NPS, Cumberland Island National Seashore | |
| How long they stay underwater | From 10 minutes to a few hours, depending on water temperature. | American alligator, Big Cypress page | NPS, Big Cypress National Preserve |
In the sources’ own words
Where they live
National Park Service, Big Thicket National Preserve, American Alligator“They are apex predators that are primarily found in freshwater cypress swamps and marshes.”
“American alligators are found in the southeastern United states and live near water sources.”
National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Alligators“Alligators prefer freshwater, but can tolerate brackish water, and as such have been seen in the salt marsh and rarely in the surf of Atlantic.”
Scope: American alligator, Big Thicket and Cumberland Island pages
What they eat
National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Alligators“Young alligators will feed primarily on insects, small invertebrates, and fish, but as they get older, they will move on to things like snakes, mammals, birds, bigger fish, and other alligators.”
Scope: American alligator, Cumberland Island page
Do they eat fruit?
National Park Service, Big Thicket National Preserve, American Alligator“There is some evidence that alligators will occasionally eat fruit!”
“Scientists have studied the stomach contents of deceased alligators and found surprising amounts of fruit and vegetation, and think it likely that some of it was consumed intentionally.”
Scope: American alligator, Big Thicket page
Do they hibernate?
National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Alligators“When temperatures drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, alligators will become dormant.”
“However, alligators don’t hibernate; they go through something called brumation.”
“During brumation, alligators become dormant and lie in dens, though they will still drink water and come out on hot days to bask in the sun.”
Scope: American alligator, Cumberland Island page
When they stop eating
National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Alligators“Alligators have to be able to heat up in order to digest their food, so unless temperatures are above 70 degrees Fahrenheit, they will stop feeding.”
Scope: American alligator, Cumberland Island page
Boy or girl?
National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Alligators“Nests that are incubated at 30 degrees Celsius and below yield female alligator hatchlings.”
“Nests that are incubated at 34 degrees Celsius and above will yield male alligator hatchlings, and temperatures between 30-34 degrees Celsius will yield a mix of the two.”
Scope: American alligator, Cumberland Island page
Young
National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Alligators“Mothers will then carefully bring them to the water in their mouths, then shake their snouts back and forth to encourage them to swim out.”
“Hatchlings will stay with their mothers for protection for at least a year, but can stay for up to three years.”
Scope: American alligator, Cumberland Island page
What eats them
National Park Service, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Alligators“Alligator eggs can be eaten by raccoons, snakes, and hogs, among others.”
“Young alligators are hunted by wading birds and raccoons, though larger alligators are most likely their primary predators.”
Scope: American alligator, Cumberland Island page
How long they stay underwater
National Park Service, Big Cypress National Preserve, American Alligator“They can stay underwater anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours, depending on water temperature.”
Scope: American alligator, Big Cypress page
What these sources do not say
- How long alligators live.
- How long alligators grow. None of these park pages gives a length.