An alligator has a wide, rounded 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 is armored with bony plates. The plates are called scutes. Adult alligators 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 across the southeastern United States. They range from the northern coast of North Carolina to central Texas. An alligator 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 male alligators can weigh about 1,000 pounds.
Small sensory spots are around an alligator's face and jaws. They feel pressure changes in the water.
An alligator 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.
An alligator digs a hole with its snout and tail. The hole fills with water.
A mother alligator builds a nest of plants. She lays about 20 to 50 eggs in it. The temperature of the nest decides whether a baby alligator is a male or a female.
As of November 2026, an alligator in the wild typically lives 20 to 30 years.
Words to know
- scutes: bony plates
- bask: rest in sun
- sensory: for sensing
- den: resting place
The short version
An alligator has a wide, rounded snout, and its lower teeth are hidden when its mouth is closed. A crocodile has a narrow snout, and large teeth stick out when its mouth is closed. American alligators live in fresh water in the southeastern United States.
Quick facts
- An alligator has a wide, rounded snout, and a crocodile has a narrow snout.
- When an alligator closes its mouth, its lower teeth are hidden.
- The temperature of the nest decides whether a baby alligator is a male or a female.
- The average adult male alligator is about 11 feet (3.4 meters) long.
- As of November 2026, a wild alligator typically lives 20 to 30 years.
How is an alligator different from a crocodile?
An alligator has a wide, rounded snout, and a crocodile has a narrow snout. When an alligator closes its mouth, its lower teeth are hidden. When a crocodile closes its mouth, large teeth stick out.
Where do American alligators live?
Alligators live in fresh water, in slow rivers, swamps, marshes and lakes. American alligators live across the southeastern United States, from the northern coast of North Carolina to central Texas.
How long does an alligator live in the wild?
As of November 2026, an alligator in the wild typically lives 20 to 30 years.
