The question of whether alligators inhabit Missouri’s waterways is common. Alligators are not a native or widespread species in Missouri. Understanding their natural habitat clarifies why Missouri is not home to established alligator populations.
Alligator Presence in Missouri
Alligators are not native to Missouri. Sightings are extremely rare, typically involving isolated incidents. These occurrences are attributed to animals that have escaped private ownership or strayed from their natural ranges in southern states. For instance, individual alligators noted in specific lakes are often believed to be escaped or released pets. Such isolated instances do not indicate established, reproducing populations in Missouri.
Why Alligators Are Not Native to Missouri
Alligators are not native to Missouri due to their specific environmental and biological requirements, which Missouri’s climate does not consistently meet. Alligators are ectothermic, relying on external heat sources to regulate body temperature. They are most active between 82°F and 92°F and stop feeding below 70°F. When temperatures fall below 55°F, alligators enter brumation, a dormant state.
Missouri experiences cold winters, with temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. On average, temperatures fall below 32°F for at least 70 days a year, even in southern regions. Prolonged exposure to temperatures below 40°F can be dangerous or fatal for alligators, as they cannot generate enough body heat. Alligators inhabit subtropical and tropical freshwater wetlands, like marshes and slow-moving rivers, characteristic of the southeastern United States. Missouri’s aquatic environments lack the consistent warm temperatures and extensive wetland systems needed to support a thriving, breeding alligator population year-round.
What Missouri Does Host
While alligators are not native to Missouri, the state hosts various native reptiles and amphibians in its aquatic environments. Common snapping turtles are widespread in permanent water bodies like ponds, rivers, and lakes, growing large with adults ranging from 8 to 14 inches in shell length and weighing between 10 and 35 pounds. The alligator snapping turtle is also native to Missouri, found primarily in deep sloughs, oxbow lakes, and large rivers in the southern and southeastern parts of the state. This species is much larger, with upper shells reaching 15 to 26 inches and weights from 35 to 150 pounds. Its name refers to its appearance and powerful jaws, not a direct relation to the American alligator.
Missouri’s waterways also host various non-venomous water snakes, such as the northern water snake. These snakes are often found near ponds, lakes, streams, and marshes. They can be gray to reddish-brown with dark crossbands and may grow up to 42 inches long. While water snakes can bite if threatened, they are not venomous. These native aquatic animals are sometimes misidentified due to their size or appearance, contributing to misconceptions about alligator presence in the state.