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

An alligator closes its mouth. Its lower teeth are hidden. A crocodile closes its mouth. Large teeth stick out.

An alligator's skin has bony plates called scutes. Adults are dark in color. They are mostly dark gray, olive brown or black.

Alligators live in fresh water. They live in slow rivers, swamps, marshes and lakes. They live in the southeastern United States. They can stay in salty water only for a short time.

The alligator is the largest reptile in the United States. This is true as of November 2026. A grown male is about 11 feet long on average. The largest males can weigh about 1,000 pounds.

It can go through 3,000 teeth in its life. It uses its sharp teeth to seize and hold food. It swallows small food whole.

It eats fish, turtles, birds and small mammals.

Alligators bask in the sun to warm up. They are cold-blooded. In winter an alligator rests in a den. It comes out on warm days.

A mother alligator builds a nest of plants. She lays about 20 to 50 eggs in her nest.

Young alligators have light stripes on their dark bodies.

Words to know

• scutes: bony plates
• bask: rest in sun
• seize: grab and hold
• den: resting place