Florida Alligators and Crocodiles
This page contains my photos of alligators and crocodiles. These are the only two species of Crocodilians which are native to Florida. The Spectacled Caiman is an invasive species of Crocodilian from South America which is sometimes found in Florida.

All the photos are from south Florida.

Website designed by Tom Spinker
see Home Page for email address

This page was released on 15 Nov 2001
This page last updated: 8 Nov 2004

Information on this page (other than my own observations) is taken from Bartlett & Bartlett's book A Field Guide to Florida Reptiles and Amphibians
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American Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
 		At the Shark Valley section of Everglades National Park the alligators have lost all fear of humans. They sometimes fall asleep right on the roadway.

Photo taken 8 Dec 2000 at Shark Valley along the west roadway with 200mm lens.

I also used this photo on my Shark Valley webpage.
Alligators are very common in south Florida. They can be found in many canals.

You can find alligators in the Tamiami Canal which runs along US41 through Big Cypress Swamp. And in the canals along Loop Road in Big Cypress Swamp.

It easiest to observe alligators during the dry winter months in Florida when they congregate in deeper waterways. During the rainy summer most of the Everglades is flooded with water and the alligators can disperse. They do not have to go very far to be hidden, out-of-view, in the grass.

The best location to get close-up to wild alligators is the Shark Valley section of Everglades National Park, followed by the Royal Palm section of Everglades National Park (Anhinga Trail).
American Crocodile
Crocodylus acutus
14 Nov 2001 at about 1:15pm
Behind Marina Store at Flamingo in Everglades National Park. 50mm lens.

The crocodile is resting its nose on a larger crocodile.

Alligators vastly outnumber Crocodiles in Florida. You can often find crocodiles sunning themselves behind the Marina Store at Flamingo. The waterway is called Buttonwood Canal.

Crocodiles live along the coast of south Florida in salt water.

The only place that I have seen crocodiles is in Buttonwood Canal in the vicinity of the Marina Store in Flamingo. Go down by the Marina Store and ask anyone where to look for crocodiles.

The Marina Store is a place to eat when you are at the south end of Everglades National Park. They sell soda, chips, ice cream, and junk food in plastic wrappers which you heat-up in their microwave.
Baby Alligator
 		I found this alligator on the road while cruising for snakes on 10 Feb 2002 at 7:00 pm. It gets dark about 6:40 pm this time of year.

Photo taken with 135mm lens on extension tube, with flash.
Young alligators have yellow markings which they lose as they mature. This photo was taken at Shark Valley in May 2000.

Shark Valley is a section of Everglades National Park in south Florida.
I also used this photo on my Shark Valley webpage.

Juvenile Alligator
Shark Valley.
8 Dec 2000.
135mm lens

When babies are this small you should not approach them as this might provoke an attack by the mother.

Baby and Mother Alligator
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