Drennon's Critters:

Crocs vs. Gators

by your friendly neighbourhood science teacher:

Bill Drennon

The all-you-ever-wanted-to-know page about the difference between alligators and crocodiles...
...and a lot you never wanted to know....Oh well!

Place your mouse over the picture to read the description of each image

Comparing a Young Gator with a Young Croc

American Crocodile American Alligator

Ventral View of head

Side View of head

Comparing the Color of the Tongue

Top View of head

View of Feet

The power of politics: Because the gator is found in more states than the crocodile, the alligator recieved federal protection before the crocodile. Many people in Florida do not even realize that their state houses the only crocodile in America. It is far more rare than the Alligator. There are probably less than 200 left. Because they are not found in other states, the crocodile does not have the political pull of the alligator. That is ashame. They are beautiful creatures and deserve the full attention of the American public so that they do not become extinct. I have enjoyed observing them often on northern Key Largo in the Florida keys.
Both the gator and crocodile are hatched from white, leather-like eggs at a length under one foot. They grow, on average, about a foot a year for around seven years. Then their growth slows greatly. Unlike humans, they never stop growing. The crocodile, a salt-water animal, grows much larger than the fresh-water gator.

I will include some pictures of aligators (for search engines: gators, aligator, gator) and crocodiles (for search engines: crocs, crocodiles, crocadiles) from the wild, including nests, eggs, and adult animals at a later time.

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All photos and text on this site are original from Bill Drennon

Comparing a Young Gator with a Young Croc
American Crocodile	American Alligator

Ventral View of head

Side View of head

Comparing the Color of the Tongue

Top View of head

View of Feet

The power of politics: Because the gator is found in more states than the crocodile, the alligator recieved federal protection before the crocodile. Many people in Florida do not even realize that their state houses the only crocodile in America. It is far more rare than the Alligator. There are probably less than 200 left. Because they are not found in other states, the crocodile does not have the political pull of the alligator. That is ashame. They are beautiful creatures and deserve the full attention of the American public so that they do not become extinct. I have enjoyed observing them often on northern Key Largo in the Florida keys. Both the gator and crocodile are hatched from white, leather-like eggs at a length under one foot. They grow, on average, about a foot a year for around seven years. Then their growth slows greatly. Unlike humans, they never stop growing. The crocodile, a salt-water animal, grows much larger than the fresh-water gator. I will include some pictures of aligators (for search engines: gators, aligator, gator) and crocodiles (for search engines: crocs, crocodiles, crocadiles) from the wild, including nests, eggs, and adult animals at a later time.