observation. Outside of Florida, 168 counties had 

 increasing populations, 157 had stable popula- 

 tions, and 25 had decreasing populations. 



Joanen's (1974) data are summarized by States 

 below. 



Alabama: Some 12,715 alligators were reported 

 from 28 counties. Only two counties report 

 decreasing populations, while 15 report increasing 

 and 11, stable populations. There is a trend for 

 increasing populations over much of the southern 

 half of Alabama, with relatively greater abun- 

 dance in the region east and north of Mobile Bay. 



Arkansas: Most of the previous range is apparent- 

 ly now uninhabited; 1,900 alligators were present 

 in three counties in the southwestern comer of 

 the State. These individuals are presumed to have 

 been transplanted into the area from Louisiana 

 over the past few years. 



Florida: Alligators are reported in every respond- 

 ing county. Over 407,500 alligators were esti- 

 mated for the State. No population trend esti- 

 mates were given. In general, peninsular Florida, 

 roughly south of the Suwannee Strait, supports 

 moderate to large alligator populations that are 

 either increasing or remaining stable in areas of 

 increasing urbanization except in intensive de- 

 velopment centers. The panhandle supports 

 generally lower populations, with local pockets 

 of abundance. 



Georgia: 95 counties, essentially all counties with- 

 in the historical range of the species in the State, 

 report alhgator populations; 45 counties report 

 populations increasing and 32 report stable 

 populations. 



Available National Wildlife Refuge, State, and 

 other data show that there are alligator popula- 

 tions in the coastal counties and the Okefenokee 

 Swamp area that are subjectively as large as, or 

 larger than, those in southeastern South Carolina 

 and northern Florida. As to the remainder of the 

 State's populations, it can only be said that they 

 are generally widespread and may be locally 

 abundant, although less so than in the south- 

 eastern sector. 



Louisiana: A total of 200,682 alligators distribu- 

 ted over 63 parishes v^th 40 reporting increasing 

 populations, and 22 stable. The extensive coastal 

 marshes of southern Louisiana probably support 

 the largest alligator populations anywhere in the 

 species' range, although some other local popula- 

 tions, e.g., Okenfenokee Swamp in Georgia, may 

 have an equal density. The situation in the north- 

 em, non-marsh, parishes is less clear, but numbers 



there are clearly low and apparently similar to 

 other areas of the species' range. 



Mississippi: Only 4,740 alligators were found in 

 55 counties — 13 with increasing populations and 

 38 stable. Coastal counties generally support the 

 highest populations. 



North Carolina: Reports 1,300 alligators on about 

 2,590 km^ of habitat. Highest populations are in 

 central and southern coastal counties. No alliga- 

 tors are reported between Albemarle Sound and 

 the Dismal Swamp, Virginia, an area within the 

 recent historical range of the species. Only 4 of 

 21 reporting counties show an increase in popula- 

 tion. 



Oklahoma: Estimates 10 alligators in one south- 

 eastern county. Supplemental data from field 

 biologists and State agencies suggests that consid- 

 erable unoccupied habitat exists in the southeast 

 corner of the State. 



South Carolina: Reports 48,700 alligators on 

 9,479 km^ of habitat. Ten of the 28 responding 

 units report increases, while the others have stable 

 populations. As in North Carolina, populations in 

 the southeastern coastal counties are the largest, 

 and are generally increasing. Reports of increases 

 in some inland and northern counties suggest that 

 the species has responded well to protection 

 throughout the State. 



Texas: Has 26,784 alhgators in 74 counties. 

 Populations are reported increasing in 35 

 and stable in 22. Several reporting units appear to 

 represent introduced alligators outside of the 

 historic range of the species. Large, increasing 

 populations are recorded for counties adjacent to 

 the coastal Louisiana parishes, and south along 

 the Gulf coast to Matagorda Bay. Interior coun- 

 ties appear to support small scattered populations 

 which are generally increasing or stable. 



REPRODUCTION 



Alligators and other crocodilians exhibit the 

 most elaborate social behavior of any reptile, 

 most of which is related to reproduction (Mcll- 

 henny 1935, Carr 1967, Joanen and McNease 

 1971, Campbell 1972, Kushlan 1973, Carr 1976, 

 Pooley and Gans 1976). 



Reproductive behavior begins with bellowing 

 by males and females, usually in March or April, 

 depending on local climate. The bellow has been 

 reported to serve as a territorial signal and as a 

 component of male -female interaction, but data 



