American Alligator

Thelma joined The Zoo in 2005 when she was only about a foot-and-a-half long. She enjoys sunbathing and hanging out with the wild birds that come into her enclosure. Her favorite food is fish, but she alos enjoys chicken and beef.

Alligator mississippiensis

35-50 years in the wild, 60-80 years in capitivity

American alligators are native to the rivers, swamps, marshes, and lakes of the southeastern U.S.

American alligators are carnivores that feed on a wide variety of prey, including fish, frogs, birds, mammals, and invertebrates.

Alligators generally start breeding when they are 10-12 years old, and the mothers will lay their eggs in nests they've made out of vegetation. When the babies are ready to hatch, they call out to their mother and she will remove the nesting material to make it easier for them to move. She will defend her young from predators for a full year before she leaves them to raise another brood.

Conservation Status

Threats in the Wild

Although American alligator populations are increasing, this species is threatened by agricultural development, urban development, changing waterways and climate change.

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