Theyre the only crocodilian in Alabama waters and can grow to a whopping 19 feet long. Alligators are present in most southern states of U.S. water bodies. The river flows for 243 miles (391 km) efore joining the Mobile River. South Carolina has around 100,000 gators within its borders, primarily in the south and along the coast. Meanwhile, in Louisiana, in August, following heavy rainfalls and floods caused by Hurricane Ida, a 12-foot-long alligatorbit a mans arm off in front of his wife. Alligators are carnivores and feed on whatever food is available. While baby alligators are just about six to eight inches long, shorter than a human forearm, an adult male alligator can be up to 15 feet long and can weigh up to 1000 pounds, even though a weight between 500 and 600 pounds is more common. Alligators have had a growing presence in North Alabama dating back to the 70s when more than 50 were introduced to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge. Alligators are more abundant in Florida. The alligators cant just be traced back to the refuge. Alligator lifespan depends on a variety of factors such as food availability and climate conditions, but the average life expectancy is still quite long compared to most other animals. Crocodiles have pointier and sharper teeth because they have evolved to tear apart prey. The Southwest Zone includes all of Mobile and Baldwin counties north of I-10 and private and public waters in Washington, Clarke and Monroe counties that lie east of U.S. Highway 43 and south . Their most distinctive feature is their head, which is long and filled with up to 80 teeth at a time. Size: Male alligators range from 11 to 12 feet long and weigh between 400 and 500 pounds. This large alligator was seen at Test Area 1 in the early-2000s. For more information on Alabamas alligators, contact Justin Monk, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries, 30571 Five Rivers Boulevard, Spanish Fort, AL 36527; phone 251-626-5474. Alligators typically have dark gray or black skin with white or yellow markings, while crocodiles are usually tan in color with darker stripes and spots. If you plan to take a dip with alligators, never feed them before entering the water. First, dont try to feed or touch any alligator. A vacation in Alabama will give you and your loved ones a memorable adventure. Some female alligators will become aggressive if they are provoked. Alabama prohibits harassment or ownership of alligators, as well as illegal hunting. These attacks occur because the shark thinks the human is a fish or other sea creature. Crocodiles are green, grey, brown, or black with a camouflage pattern. The authorities are warning people to be extra vigilant when walking their dogs in the Baldwin County city. Alligators can move long distances over land. Although they may not be as abundant or widespread elsewhere as in the USA, its clear that alligators are a global species with many populations living outside of the US boundaries. Shark attacks occur more than alligator attacks but are uncommon. Pratik Handore. Village Point Park Preserve boardwalks have designs to guarantee safety even for young children. No alcoholic beverages. Now we know how many alligators live in Alabama, but just where can you find them? Dont try to get closer to take photos, said Marianne Hudson with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Therefore, when theres no lifeguard on duty, you should not be swimming. The answer to this question is a definite yes. Alligators seek to stay away from humans and only attack when provoked. However, when swimming in the Gulf of Mexico or at inland lagoons, rivers, and lakes, there are a variety of other dangers to be aware of, including: Rip currents occur underneath the waterline and are areas of fast-moving water away from the shore. An alligator snout is broad and U-shaped at the end, while a crocodile has a narrower, sharp snout. An alligator bite can be fatal, and you should seek medical help. The Yellowhammer state does allow younger hunters 16 and up to . Supporting those divisions are seven support sections: Accounting, Diversity and Recruiting, Engineering, Information and Education, Information Technology, Legal, and Personnel and Payroll. Among the popular sites in Alabama is Alligator Alley in Summerdale and Gator Alley Boardwalk in Daphne. Being exposed to the sun all day and swimming in salt water can cause your body to become rapidly dehydrated, which can cause considerable damage to your body. Alligators usually eat turtles and rarely attack humans, but an attack could be fatal. They can only live in freshwater environments like swamps, wetlands, marshes, and ponds because their body cannot digest salt. The chance of someone being attacked is one in 3.2 million. Alligators arent just big lizards, theyre actually ancient predators that have remained basically the same for over 60 million years. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) There have been several reports of alligators in north Alabama in recent weeks, including in the Tennessee River. You can swim near waterboards or have artificial pools in different recreation facilities. Alligators are common in alabama. The majority of American alligators inhabit Florida and Louisiana, with over a million alligators in each state. Alligators range from central Texas eastward to North Carolina. According to scientific classification, the commonly identified alligators are the American Alligator, a native only in America, and the Chinese Alligators roaming in Chinese waters. The temperature inside the mound determines the sex of her babies. Approximately 1.25 million alligators live in Florida, with around 200,000 in the Everglades. Recently a seven-foot alligator was videoed by TWRA Region 1 personnel in West Tennessee at the Wolf River WMA in Fayette County. The creatures have been spotted in parking lots, backyards, and on roads around Daphne, after extreme weather washed them away from their usual habitats. Facebook user Joan said: I have lived here for over 30 years and never seen so many gators as we have now.. Alligators are cold-blooded and live in warm areas. The timber rattlesnake is one of Alabama's most venomous snakes. According to conservation organization Share the Beach, the gator was seen on the far west end of the island and was most likely hunting for sea turtle eggs. In 1967, the American alligator was placed on the Endangered Species List by the U.S. The answer to this question is no! The alligators in the water will tend to move out of the way of the oncoming boat. Hudson says generally alligators avoid human conflict, unlike crocodiles. Adult alligators are opportunistic and will feed on anything from fish, snakes, turtles, birds, muskrats, nutria, and otters, to raccoons, feral pigs, deer, and even other alligators. It measured 15 feet, 9 inches long and weighed 1,011.5 pounds. The alleys wide boardwalk snakes around the banks of Mobile Bay and over DOlive Creek. The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is the only species of alligator that exists in Alabama. As one of only 10 states that play home to gators, Alabama is no stranger to these wild, carnivorous reptiles. Lets rank these 10 states to see who has the most! The states large alligator population is largely due to the fact that Alabama first enacted laws to protect alligators all the way back in 1938. Alligators are much faster than humans, so its best to remain still and let them pass. If fed by people, alligators quickly associate humans with food, which can be dangerous. These reptiles can be found from the Sabine River to the Gulf of Mexico and the coastal marshes near the Rio Grande. Alligators are an important part of Alabamas landscape and play a valuable role in the ecology of our states wetlands. A small population is also found in Tamaulipas, in Mexico. The second most alligator-infested state in the US in Florida. Alligator kills 85-year-old woman walking her dog in Florida retirement community, Fox News, the Murdochs and backstage Trump whispers: The damning Dominion revelations, Residents warned as alligators take over Alabama city due to rain, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 10% off selected orders over 100 - eBay discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Estimates indicate that there are about 70,000 gators in the state. The 194 miles long river is the longest free-flowing river in Alabama. Alligators can propel their bodies up and out of the water. History Channel's ' Swamp People ' is a reality series that follows various gator hunters and their activities in swamps of the Atchafalaya River Basin and other swamplands in Louisiana (and Texas). As alligators grow larger so do their food items. Contact the AZ Animals editorial team. So for the majority of the year, you can spot alligators on your Florida airboat rides. A hunting season for American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis) will be open in five hunt zones of Alabama. There's a whole world to learn about and Colby is content to spend his life learning as much as he can about it! So, you cant harass, feed, or own an alligator in Alabama. Lucky for them, Alabama has plenty of sources of fresh water for gators to choose from, including lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. What is the largest alligator ever caught? Unregulated alligator harvest throughout the South in the early 1900s threatened the species with extinction. 2023 Copyright by Travel Safe - Abroad. However, there are occasional sightings in more northerly latitudes, though the population of gators in the northern half of the state is minimal. Watch Your Pets Pets are similar in size to natural prey of alligators and their movements will often attract an alligators interest. Feeding alligators will make the reptiles start to see man as a food source. But in the past 50 years their population in the state has grown to the point where hundreds of annual complaints about them are reported. Alligators are endemic to the tidal marshes and wetlandsof the southeastern states, but people getting killed by alligators is extremely rare, Adam Rosenblatt, assistant professor of biology at the University of North Florida told Live Science.