Holmes, Humphreys, Issaguena, Jack- 

 son, Jefferson, Jones, Lafayette, 

 Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, 

 Leflore, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, 

 Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Ne- 

 shoba, Newton, Noxubee, Panola, 

 Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Quitman, 

 Scott, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, 

 Stone, Tallahatchie, Walthall, Warren, 

 Washington, Wayne, Wilkinson, Yazoo. 



North 



Carolina: Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, 

 Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Dare, 

 Duplin, Hyde, Jones, New Hanover, 

 Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Pitt, Robe- 

 son, Sampson, Scotland, Tyrrell, 

 Washington. 



Oklahoma: McCurtain. 



South 



Carolina: Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, 

 Beaufort, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charles- 

 ton, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Colleton, 

 Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Flo- 

 rence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, 

 Jasper, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, 

 Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Rich- 

 land, Sumter, Williamsburg. 



Texas: Anderson, Angelina, Aransas, Archer, 



Atascosa, Austin, Beek, Bexar, Brazo- 

 ria, Brazos, Burleson, Calhoun, Came- 

 ron, Cass, Chambers, Collin, Colorado, 

 Dimmit, Ellis, Fort Bend, Freestone, 

 Frio, Galveston, Goliad, Grimes, Har- 

 din, Harris, Harrison, Henderson, 

 Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, 

 Jim Wells, Johnson, Karnes, Kimble, 

 Kleberg, Lamar, La Salle, Lavaca, 

 Leon, Liberty, Live Oak, Madison, 

 Marion, Matagorda, McMullen, Mont- 

 gomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Navar- 

 ro, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Polk, Re- 

 fugio, Robertson, Sabine, San Augus- 

 tine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Shelby, 

 Smith, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Victoria, 

 Walker, Waller, Webb. 



HABITAT 



Alligators inhabit, or inhabited, practically all 

 fresh and brackish water habitats in their range 

 except as excluded by man. Large marsh-bordered 

 lakes, fresh and brackish marshes, and savannas 

 appear to provide optimal habitat and support the 

 densest populations (Reese 1915, Mcllhenny 

 1935,Fogarty 1974). 



FOOD AND FORAGING BEHAVIOR 



The food of alligators consists of virtually any 

 animal small enough to be captured and swal- 

 lowed (Kellogg 1929, Mcllhenny 1935). Available 

 data indicate some variation between size classes 

 (Kellogg 1929) and between habitat types (Cha- 

 breck 1971). Small alligators feed extensively on 

 invertebrates, including crayfish, aquatic and ter- 

 restrial insects, and mollusks (Fogarty and Albury 

 1967, Neill 1971, Valentine et al. 1972), while 

 larger individuals take vertebrate prey, including 

 wading birds, snakes, turtles, small mammals, and 

 fish. Very large alligators may attack and eat large 

 animals such as deer, cattle, and even man (Neill 

 1971, Hines and Keenlyne 1977). 



SHELTER REQUIREMENTS 



Adults often dig dens or 'gator holes' at the 

 edges of rivers or lakes and in marsh habitats. An 

 underground tunnel with an underwater entrance 

 will lead into an underground cave a short dis- 

 tance back from the water (Kellogg 1929; 

 Mcllhenny 1935; Craighead 1969; Joanen and 

 McNease 1971, 1972; Neill 1971). 



NESTING AND BEDDING 



Alligators build mound nests of heaped-up ve- 

 getation in clearings in marshes or along the edges 

 of lakes or rivers. Mounds are generally about 2 m 

 in diameter and 0.5 to 1 m high (Mcllhenny 1935, 

 Joanen 1969, Joanen and McNease 1972, Neill 

 1971). 



RITUAL REQUIREMENTS 



Not known. 



OTHER CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL 

 REQUIREMENTS 



Not known. 



POPULATION NUMBERS AND TRENDS 



Joanen (1974) provided estimates of alligator 

 populations in all areas throughout the range. The 

 total estimated population for the species was 

 738,384. In addition, the estimated available 

 habitat was given as 116,550 km^ for an average 

 of six alligators per km^ of suitable habitat. 



Trends in alligator populations have been 

 monitored by the Cooperative AHigator Survey, a 

 yearly night survey over standardized survey 

 routes throughout the range (Chabreck 1974). 

 These data indicate a generally increasing trend. 

 Joanen (1974) also presents data that support this 



