There are now more than 1 million alligators in the wild.
These apex predators eat mostly fish, turtles, snakes, birds and small mammals. But alligators are known for being opportunists; when hungry, they will attack larger prey like deer or cattle.
Alligators are almost exclusively found in freshwater rivers, lakes, marshes or swamps.
American alligators are typically between 10 and 15 feet long and can weigh 1,000 lbs. Despite being large and somewhat ungainly, alligators can run up to 11 mph on land--but they can't sustain that speed for very long.
