Alligator mississippiensis
Clawed footprints on either side of a heavy tail drag.
Front 4–5 in, hind 5–9 in. Five front toes, four hind toes. Continuous tail drag down the middle. Belly slide marks on banks. Prints angle outward from the body.
Swamps, bayous, canals, ponds, golf-course water hazards. Southeastern U.S. from Texas to North Carolina.
Crepuscular and nocturnal; basks by day
Fish, turtles, birds, mammals
Alligators dig 'gator holes' that keep water — and everything else alive — through drought.
Should I be concerned?
Never feed or approach. Stay 60 feet back, keep pets leashed away from the water's edge, and swim only in posted areas.