American Alligator | South Carolina, USA | Edward Mikol Photography

A large American alligator sits on the banks of the santee river in sc with it's mouth open — American Alligator

South Carolina, USA

American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) grow fastest in their first 5–10 years, averaging about 1 foot of growth per year. Hatchlings are 8–9 inches and reach 1.5 feet in the first year. Males grow faster and larger than females, which rarely exceed 9 feet. Males often reach 6 ft in 9–12 years and 12 ft in 36+ years. Growth slows down significantly after they reach about 6–7 feet. Food availability, water temperature, and habitat quality heavily influence growth rates.

A rough rule of thumb is that the distance in inches from an alligator's snout to its eyes equals its total length in feet. The largest alligator on record in South Carolina was a 13-foot 6-inch, 1,025-pound specimen caught in Lake Moultrie in 2010. The largest American alligator ever recorded overall was 15 feet 9 inches and 1,011.5 pounds.

Photo © copyright by Dr. Edward Mikol.

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