jonnierose's Identifications

This is a female American Alligator that I saw while on an airboat tour in the Florida Everglades. This alligator was approximately 8 ft in length, was dark in color, and had a large, round snout. This alligator was living in a freshwater wetland. Many like this alligator can be found in the southeastern region of the United States.
According to the National Park Service, “Alligators are an important part of the Everglades ecosystem and are considered a keystone species of the park. The nesting activity of female alligators is important for the creation of peat” (American Alligator: Species Profile, n.d.).

American Alligator: Species Profile. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/alligator.htm