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Animal Guide

American Alligator

209 destinations · 41 states

Native Range
Southeastern United States

American alligators can look almost like statues when they float with only their eyes and nostrils above the water. Spend a little longer watching and small details start to appear. One may slowly drift toward the bank, blink, open its jaws to cool down, or suddenly propel itself forward with a powerful sweep of its tail. At a zoo or wildlife destination, look for the ridges along the back and the broad, muscular tail, both of which become easier to appreciate when an alligator moves through the water. Young alligators often show striking yellow bands against darker skin, while adults develop a much more subdued pattern. Their famous toothy grin is not just for show. The jaws are built for a powerful bite, while the eyes and nostrils sit high on the head, allowing the animal to remain mostly submerged while keeping watch. Native to wetlands, lakes, rivers, and marshes across the southeastern United States, American alligators are perfectly suited to a life spent between water and land.

American Alligator

Where to see American Alligator

209 destinations across 41 states

209 destinations

3 Palms Zoo & Education Center

Townsend, DE

Abilene Zoo

Abilene, TX

ABQ BioPark Zoo

Albuquerque, NM

African Safari Wildlife Park

Port Clinton, OH

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

Gulf Shores, AL

Alexandria Zoological Park

Alexandria, LA

Alligator Adventure

North Myrtle Beach, SC

Alligator Alley

Summerdale, AL

Alligator Alley Adventures

Wisconsin Dells, WI

Aloha Safari Park

Cameron, NC

Animal Adventure Park & Preserve

Harpursville, NY

Animal Sanctuary & Alligator Park

Ochopee, FL

Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo

New Braunfels, TX

Arkansas Alligator Farm & Petting Zoo

Hot Springs, AR

Audubon Aquarium

New Orleans, LA

Audubon Zoo

New Orleans, LA

Austin Nature & Science Center

Austin, TX

Austin Zoo

Austin, TX

Bailiwick Animal Park & Riding Stables

Catskill, NY

Bear Den Zoo & Petting Farm

Waterford, WI

Bear Hollow Zoo

Athens, GA

Bee City Zoo & Honey Bee Farm

Cottageville, SC

Bergen County Zoo

Paramus, NJ

Big Cat Habitat

Sarasota, FL

Big Joel's Safari

Wright City, MO

Birmingham Zoo

Birmingham, AL

Black Pine Animal Sanctuary

Albion, IN

Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park

Alto, MI

Bramble Park Zoo

Watertown, SD

Branson's Wild World

Branson, MO

BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo

Baton Rouge, LA

Brevard Zoo

Melbourne, FL

Bronx Zoo

Bronx, NY

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Tampa, FL

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary

Jupiter, FL

Caldwell Zoo

Tyler, TX

Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium

Fort Myers, FL

Cameron Park Zoo

Waco, TX

Cape May County Park & Zoo

Cape May Court House, NJ

Catawba Science Center

Hickory, NC

Catoctin Wildlife Preserve

Thurmont, MD

Center for Wildlife Education

Statesboro, GA

Central Coast Zoo

Atascadero, CA

Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens

Sanford, FL

Chahinkapa Zoo

Wahpeton, ND

Chattanooga Zoo

Chattanooga, TN

Chehaw Park & Zoo

Albany, GA

Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari

Jacksonville, TX

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Colorado Springs, CO

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Cincinnati, OH

Claws 'N' Paws Wild Animal Park

Lake Ariel, PA

Clyde Peeling's Reptiland

Allenwood, PA

Colorado Gators Reptile Park

Mosca, CO

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

Powell, OH

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

Bridgeport, CT

Cox Science Center & Aquarium

West Palm Beach, FL

Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary

Athens, MI

Croc Encounters

Tampa, FL

Crocodile Encounter

Angleton, TX

Dakota Zoo

Bismarck, ND

Denver Zoo

Denver, CO

DeYoung Family Zoo

Wallace, MI

Dickerson Park Zoo

Springfield, MO

Downtown Aquarium

Houston, TX

East Idaho Aquarium

Idaho Falls, ID

El Paso Zoo

El Paso, TX

Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den

Scranton, PA

Ellen Trout Zoo

Lufkin, TX

Elmwood Park Zoo

Norristown, PA

Emerald Coast Zoo

Crestview, FL

Erie Zoo

Erie, PA

Essex County Turtle Back Zoo

West Orange, NJ

Everglades Safari Park

Miami, FL

Flint RiverQuarium

Albany, GA

Fort Wayne Zoo

Fort Wayne, IN

Fort Worth Zoo

Fort Worth, TX

Frank Buck Zoo

Gainesville, TX

Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Fresno, CA

Garlyn Zoo Wildlife Park

Naubinway, MI

Gatorland

Orlando, FL

Georgia Aquarium

Atlanta, GA

Gladys Porter Zoo

Brownsville, TX

Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo

Great Bend, KS

Greenville Zoo

Greenville, SC

Gulf Breeze Zoo

Gulf Breeze, FL

Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park

Fort Walton Beach, FL

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

San Jose, CA

Hattiesburg Zoo

Hattiesburg, MS

Hemker Park & Zoo

Freeport, MN

Henry Vilas Zoo

Madison, WI

Houston Zoo

Houston, TX

Idaho Falls Zoo

Idaho Falls, ID

Indian Creek Zoo

Lambertville, MI

Indianapolis Zoo

Indianapolis, IN

Jacksonville Zoo & Botanical Gardens

Jacksonville, FL

Jungle Island

Miami, FL

Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

Kansas City, MO

Lake Hartwell Wildlife Safari

Hartwell, GA

Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

Halifax, PA

Lion Country Safari

Loxahatchee, FL

Little Rock Zoo

Little Rock, AR

Los Angeles Zoo

Los Angeles, CA

Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo

Monroe, LA

Louisville Zoo

Louisville, KY

Lowcountry Zoo

Murrells Inlet, SC

Lynnwood Park Zoo

Jacksonville, NC

Memphis Zoo

Memphis, TN

Metro Richmond Zoo

Moseley, VA

Miller Park Zoo

Bloomington, IL

Mississippi Aquarium

Gulfport, MS

Monterey Zoo

Salinas, CA

Montgomery Zoo

Montgomery, AL

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium

Sarasota, FL

Museum of Life & Science

Durham, NC

Mystic Aquarium

Mystic, CT

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

Naples, FL

Nashville Zoo at Grassmere

Nashville, TN

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

Dubuque, IA

NEW Zoo & Adventure Park

Green Bay, WI

Newport Aquarium

Newport, KY

North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Kure Beach, NC

North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

Pine Knoll Shores, NC

North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island

Manteo, NC

North Carolina Zoo

Asheboro, NC

North Georgia Wildlife Park & Safari

Cleveland, GA

Oakland Zoo

Oakland, CA

Oatland Island Wildlife Center

Savannah, GA

OdySea Aquarium

Scottsdale, AZ

Oglebay Good Zoo

Wheeling, WV

Oklahoma Aquarium

Jenks, OK

Oklahoma City Zoo

Oklahoma City, OK

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Omaha, NE

Orlando Science Center

Orlando, FL

Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society

West Palm Beach, FL

Panaewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens

Hilo, HI

Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science

Miami, FL

Phoenix Zoo

Phoenix, AZ

Pocono Snake & Animal Farm

East Stroudsburg, PA

Potawatomi Zoo

South Bend, IN

Queens Zoo

Corona, NY

Reid Park Zoo

Tucson, AZ

Reptile Gardens

Rapid City, SD

Reptile Lagoon

Hamer, SC

Reptile World Serpentarium

St Cloud, FL

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

Columbia, SC

Riverside Reptiles Education Center

Enfield, CT

Sacramento Zoo

Sacramento, CA

Safari North Wildlife Park

Brainerd, MN

Safari Zoological Park

Caney, KS

Saginaw Children's Zoo

Saginaw, MI

Saint Louis Zoo

St. Louis, MO

San Antonio Aquarium

Leon Valley, TX

San Antonio Zoo

San Antonio, TX

Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo

Gainesville, FL

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

Sarasota, FL

Scovill Zoo

Decatur, IL

Seaport Aquarium

Wildwood, NJ

SeaWorld Orlando

Orlando, FL

SeaWorld San Antonio

San Antonio, TX

Sharkarosa Zoo

Pilot Point, TX

Shreveport Aquarium

Shreveport, LA

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Vallejo, CA

Smithsonian National Zoological Park

Washington, DC

Snake Discovery: A Reptile Experience

Maplewood, MN

South Carolina Aquarium

Charleston, SC

Southwick's Zoo

Mendon, MA

Space Farms: Zoo & Museum

Sussex, NJ

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park

St. Augustine, FL

Staten Island Zoo

Staten Island, NY

Stone Zoo

Stoneham, MA

Summerfield Zoo

Belvidere, IL

Sustainable Safari

Maplewood, MN

Tallahassee Museum

Tallahassee, FL

Tanganyika Wildlife Park

Goddard, KS

Tarpon Springs Aquarium & Animal Sanctuary

Tarpon Springs, FL

Tennessee Aquarium

Chattanooga, TN

Texas State Aquarium

Corpus Christi, TX

The Creature Conservancy

Ann Arbor, MI

The Florida Aquarium

Tampa, FL

The Jackson Zoo

Jackson, MS

The Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College

Moorpark, CA

The Texas Zoo

Victoria, TX

The Wild Animal Park

Chittenango, NY

Tiger Safari Zoological Park

Tuttle, OK

Tregembo Animal Park

Wilmington, NC

Tulsa Zoo

Tulsa, OK

Tupelo Buffalo Park & Zoo

Tupelo, MS

Virginia Living Museum

Newport News, VA

Washington Park Zoo

Michigan City, IN

Wild Adventures

Valdosta, GA

Wild Animal Safari

Pine Mountain, GA

Wild Animal Safari

Strafford, MO

Wild Florida Adventure Park

Kenansville, FL

Wild Georgia Safari Park

Metter, GA

Wilderness Trails Zoo

Birch Run, MI

Wildlife Safari

Winston, OR

Wildlife World Zoo

Litchfield Park, AZ

Wildwood Wildlife Park Zoo & Safari

Minocqua, WI

Wilstem Wildlife Park

Paoli, IN

Wisconsin Rapids Municipal Zoo

Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Wonder Gardens

Bonita Springs, FL

Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium

Springfield, MO

Zoo in Forest Park & Education Center

Springfield, MA

Zoo Miami

Miami, FL

Zoo World Panama City Beach

Panama City Beach, FL

ZooAmerica

Hershey, PA

Zoosiana

Broussard, LA

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Tampa, FL

ZWF Miami

Miami, FL

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