Are alligators expanding their habitat?

[raccoon]

My understanding is that in South Carolina, gators are plentiful in the low country and you even see one occasionally in the Midlands, but they’re not in the upstate.

How do we know that? Especially as it’s getting warmer, they might be migrating toward the upstate.

I have done some googling on this before and heard it suggested that the gators might have migrated into Virginia but it’s not official.

Your thoughts?

[Bayard]

1. People will find that one out the hard way, I'm afraid.....

[COL Mustard]

2. Can we send one to Mar a Lago?

Asking for a friend

[Lochloosa]

4. Oh, they have them already.

[COL Mustard]

5. Well then they're not doing their job!!!

Go Gators!!!

[Wicked Blue]

9. Send them to Bedminster NJ instead

I think they'll enjoy it.

[DBoon]

24. even gators have standards

there are certain things even too disgusting for them

[Lochloosa]

3. I always leash mine when we go for a stroll.

[Wicked Blue]

10. Do you carry poopy bags for them? nt

[GreenWave]

6. I see how they can easily expand into SE Virginia.

They have a ready made Dismal Swamp with more moderate temperatures most of the year.

[sop]

7. Gators are pretty harmless, it's the saltwater crocodiles you have to watch out for.

Saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for being one of the most aggressive predators in the world. An invasive species (Nile Crocodile), they've been increasing in numbers in the Florida Keys and South Florida as water temperatures rise.

[Tommy Carcetti]

18. I haven't heard of any Niles or Salties in Florida

We have American crocodiles in the Everglades, naturally, but they’re not really any more aggressive than alligators are.

[sop]

21. Some links:

Florida crocodiles: Man-eating Nile beasts confirmed in swamps - BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/36349031

Member Highlight: Nile Crocodiles Identified In South Florida, Scientists Say | Ocean Leadership

https://oceanleadership.org/nile-crocodiles-identified-south-florida-scientists-say/

The Next Invasive Threat to Florida Lakes: Nile Crocodiles! - AZ Animals

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/the-next-invasive-threat-to-florida-lakes-nile-crocodiles/

[Docreed2003]

8. Anecdotal but gators are seen pretty regularly on the North Carolina coast

At least in the Jacksonville/Wilmington area. When I was at Camp Lejeune, it was fairly common to have reports of gators in that area.

[blm]

11. Hey Doc

We’re you at Lejeune during the time when the water was poisoned?

[Docreed2003]

12. Thankfully I was there after the fact

We were there in the 2000's/2010's but I will say my son attended preschool on base and we always made sure to pack bottled water for him. Although we were told the water table contamination issue had been fixed, we didn't take any chances and neither did most other parents we knew.

[blm]

13. Good to hear.

[unc70]

22. Alligators are common in that area.

I grew up just east of the Base. Alligators were fairly common along the coast back then, 70 years ago. More common and dangerous were all the kinds of snakes and the ticks (RM spotted fever, etc).

Alligators are found in NC as far north as the VA line. While occasionally a gator will "visit" just across the border into Virginia, the Dismal Swamp in NC contains the most-northern breeding population. As you go south along the coast, the number of alligators goes up dramatically below New River.

[48656c6c6f20]

14. I hope so, those geese in Chicago parks need a predator

Species to knock that arrogant attitude down a bit.

[robbob]

20. Put some in the Charles river

To deal with all those pesky Canadian geese in Boston…

[Tommy Carcetti]

15. Northernmost known natural habitat is Merchant's Millpond in North Carolina

Last edited Fri Aug 19, 2022, 10:23 AM - Edit history (2)

Which is about 15 miles south of the Virginia border.

They’ve been rumored to be in Virginia’s Great Dismal Swamp for years, but it’s never been proven.

I find them to be fascinating creatures. Just make sure they are given proper space.

Of course in Florida we’ve got plenty of them. But that doesn't stop me from being in complete awe whenever I see one.

Video of alligator at Merchant's Millpond:

[GoCubsGo]

16. Mostly, what you are seeing is recovering populations moving back into old habitat.

They're mostly a coastal species, but it is not unusual for them to follow the waterways inland. We're only seeing increases of them further inland because there are a lot more alligators than there were 20 years ago. Remember that 50 years ago, they were nearly driven to extinction, so it was rare to see them in the fringes of their normal range. But, populations are back up to far more substantial numbers, so we're seeing more of them away from the coast. Thank you, Endangered Species Act. Climate change might be allowing them to expand northward, but most of what your seeing is increasing populations that are trying to find a place to live in a world where people are taking up most of the spaces. No doubt coastal development is driving a lot more of them inland and northward.

[Chainfire]

17. They are a part of the normal scenery here. It is easy to stay out of trouble

with them as they only do two things; they eat and they mate. So if you don't want to mate with one, and don't want to be eaten by one, you leave them alone and all is copesetic.

[Whiskeytide]

19. If you have beavers in the lakes and rivers ...

… then you don’t have alligators. Pretty reliable indicator.

[Brother Buzz]

25. I understand they have been in New York sewers for decades