Naturally occurring only in the south-eastern United States, the American alligator is the larger of the only two species of alligator that exist in the entire world (the other is the Chinese alligator). The American alligator is either green, olive, brown, gray, or blackish; with a large roundish body, thick limbs, a broad head, and a powerful tail. Adult gators will grow to up to 14 ft (4.3 m) in length and 1,000 lbs (450 kg); although a rare case was found where an American alligator had grown to 19ft 2 in (5.84 m) and 2,200 lbs (1,000 kg). American alligators are extremely powerful animals, with a tail that it uses for both aquatic propulsion (they’re extremely fast swimmers) and defense, and a bite that has been laboratory measured at 9,452 newtons (2,125 lbf) making it the strongest bite in the world.

American alligators also have the ability to stay underwater for up to 20 minutes while actively hunting or swimming, and several hours when at rest. It does this by rerouting blood to reduce lung circulation, making them need less oxygen. As was previously stated, American alligators are only found in the south-eastern region of The United States; they inhabit the swamps and wetlands of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and Louisiana. An apex predator because of it’s size, strength, speed, and mastery of it’s habitat; the American alligator controls the populations of other species around it and feeds off fish, birds, turtles, snakes, mollusks, rats, mice, racoons, deer, wild boars, dogs, cattle, sheep, and basically any other creature brave enough to wander into its habitat; even occasionally eating panthers and bears. American alligators swallow their prey whole and digest them using gastroliths, which are rocks that sit in their gizzards (stomachs). As a result of their dominance over their domain and sheer size, the number of American alligators has remained high throughout the years.