An alligator has a wide snout. A crocodile has a thin snout.

An alligator shuts its mouth. Its lower teeth are hidden. A crocodile shuts its mouth. Big teeth stick out. An alligator can go through 3,000 teeth. That is in its life.

An alligator has bony skin. The bony plates on its skin are called scutes.

The alligator is the largest reptile in the United States. This is true as of November 2026.

Alligators, or gators, live in fresh water. They live in slow rivers and lakes. Salty water is fine for a short time.

An alligator eats fish, turtles and birds. It likes to bask in the sun. That warms it up. It is cold-blooded.

A mother builds a nest of plants. Young ones have light stripes. Their bodies are dark.

Words to know

• scutes: bony plates
• bask: rest in sun