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La Chua gators

Alligators Everywhere

In spring, alligators become more active as the days warm up. It’s also mating season, so alligators are on the move. Expect to see them anywhere and everywhere along Florida’s trails.

April 6, 2018    Sandra Friend

154 shares

Spring has sprung, and that doesn’t just mean glorious wildflowers on Florida’s trails. It means alligators are on the move, too.

“Alligators become more active and visible during spring when temperatures rise and their metabolism increases,” says the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

It should come as no surprise that you’re seeing them more frequently. Temperatures are warming up and the sun is shining longer every day.

But there is also a biological clock that nudges these behemoths out of the water in spring, searching for a mate.

La Chua alligator
Alligators pay no attention to obstacles when they’re on the move

If it means trekking across a trail, swimming miles down a river, or crossing a busy highway to find a female, no problem. They go where they need to.

According to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, alligator courtship begins in early April, and mating occurs in May or June.

Brooker Creek Preserve alligator
Unexpected alligator along the banks of Brooker Creek at Brooker Creek Preserve

To attract a mate, males slap the water with their heads and bellow. Loudly. When you’re hiking on trails near bodies of water, these sounds can surprise you.

We were hiking on the La Chua Trail at Paynes Prairie – where you’ll see an incredible number of alligators at any time of year – when we spotted a mating pair.

Alligators do not pair up permanently. The male moves on, and the female finds a place to build a nest. Eggs are laid in June or early July, and hatch two months later, mid-August to mid-September.

baby alligators
Baby alligators along the edge of Robert’s Strand, Big Cypress

Hanging around the nest, “Mama Gator” will fend off predators and keep an eye on her hatchlings for up to two years. Although alligators lay several dozen eggs, only a few will survive to adulthood.

Baby alligators are easily snatched up by great blue herons and other wading birds.

Silver River alligators
Mama gator (right) watches over babies (on the log, left) in the Silver River

Be safe around alligators

Alligators should never be fed in the wild. The only alligators you should ever see fed are those inside commercial alligator farms and attractions, where they are licensed to do so.

A fed gator can’t tell the difference between your hand and a piece of chicken.

Alligator in Big Cypress
Alligator in the canal at Oasis Visitor Center, Big Cypress

If you are hiking, paddling, or boating and see an alligator heading towards you instead of away from you, that’s not a good sign.

It usually means that the gator has been fed, whether intentionally or by the tossing of scraps into the water, and now it associates humans with food. Don’t stick around to find out why.

Alligator near an airboat in the Everglades
Alligator near an airboat in the Everglades

If an alligator is at least four feet long and you feel it is threatening you, your kids, or your pet, call the Florida FWC Nuisance Alligator Program at 1-866-392-4286 to report the location and the situation.

Where to see alligators

Where can you see alligators in Florida? In any body of water, including drainage ditches, backyard ponds, and even making their way into swimming pools. Always look before you leap!

Loxahatchee alligator
Large alligator near the fishing pier at Loxahatchee NWR

Always keep at least 20 feet between you and any alligators you see basking or floating in the water. Keep your pets and kids away from them, too.

Alligator Circle B
Alligator as seen from a blind along the Marsh Rabbit Trail at Circle B Bar Reserve

There are some places, however, where you will usually see lots and lots of alligators. Where is the best place to watch alligators from a safe distance? From a boardwalk.

Alligator in Big Cypress
Big alligator below the boardwalk at H.P. Williams Roadside, Big Cypress National Preserve

Best Free Alligator Watching Sites

  1. Orlando Wetlands Park, Christmas
  2. Oasis Visitor Center, Big Cypress
  3. Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland
  4. Green Cay Wetlands, Boynton Beach
  5. CREW Bird Rookery Swamp, Naples
La Chua gators
One of the densest populations of alligators in Florida is at Paynes Prairie in Gainesville

Most Alligators Per Square Inch

  1. Gatorland, Orlando
  2. La Chua Trail, Gainesville
  3. St. Augustine Alligator Farm
  4. St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, south of Tallahassee
  5. Tamiami Trail, Big Cypress National Preserve

More alligator spotting locations Learn more about alligators from FWC

Category: Articles, Central Florida, Conservation, How To, North Florida, Northwest Florida, South Florida, Southeast Florida, Southwest Florida, Wildlife EncountersTag: Alligators, Everglades National Park, Featured Articles, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

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