Little Lagoon, nestled within Gulf Shores, Alabama, serves as a popular destination for outdoor recreation. This expansive body of water offers opportunities for fishing, swimming, and boating. Many individuals exploring this area often wonder about the presence of alligators.
Alligators in Little Lagoon
American alligators are present in Little Lagoon. This water body is brackish, containing a mixture of freshwater from marshlands and saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico. Alligators tolerate brackish conditions for periods, but are primarily freshwater reptiles requiring access to lower salinity water to maintain internal balance. They may venture into brackish areas, particularly when seeking new territories or during dry spells.
Alligators are common throughout southern Alabama, with nearly 70,000 estimated to reside there. Increasing urban development in Gulf Shores has led some alligators to seek more remote freshwater habitats, yet they continue to be sighted within Little Lagoon and its surrounding areas, including local parks like Wade Ward Nature Park.
Understanding Alligator Behavior
Alligators inhabit various aquatic environments, including wetlands, swamps, rivers, lakes, and man-made canals or ponds. They frequently bask on land to regulate body temperature. These reptiles are opportunistic predators, consuming fish, birds, and small mammals.
While generally shy and inclined to avoid human interaction, alligators can exhibit aggressive behavior if provoked, harassed, or fed by humans. Their activity levels increase between dusk and dawn. Alligators are ectothermic, relying on external heat sources, and become less active when temperatures drop below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, entering a dormant state below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Staying Safe Near Water
Feeding alligators is illegal; it causes them to lose their natural fear of humans, leading to dangerous encounters. Maintain a safe distance, ideally 30 to 60 feet, from any observed alligator. Never harass or approach these animals.
Always keep pets leashed and away from the water’s edge, as pets can resemble an alligator’s natural prey. Avoid swimming or wading in waters where alligators are known to be present, particularly during dawn, dusk, or nighttime hours when they are most active. Alligators may mistake swimming humans for prey, especially in low light.
Avoid walking through dense vegetation along the water’s edge, as alligators may be resting or waiting to ambush prey. If an alligator is perceived as a threat, particularly if it is four feet or longer, contact the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. They follow specific protocols for assessing and addressing nuisance alligator situations.