Alligators in Louisiana: Is It Safe to Swim?

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Louisiana’s four million acres of swamps, lakes, rivers, and marshes provide ideal habitat for the state’s official reptile: the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Approximately 2 million alligators and 4.6 million people claim residency in the Bayou State, and both enjoy water activities . Given these shared aquatic interests, can people swim in Louisiana’s freshwater bodies safely?

The Aquatic Life of Alligators

Let’s first consider a few facts about alligators, as this can help us determine whether it’s safe to swim in Louisiana. First, they spend most of their lives in the water. They eat, sleep, mate, and socialize there. It’s home for them.

Second, alligators eat almost any kind of meat as they are opportunistic feeders. However, they prefer smaller prey such as birds, fish, small mammals, and even smaller reptiles that they can consume in one to two bites. During the hottest months of the year, they may only eat once or twice a week. Alligators not only feed opportunistically but also ambush their prey. Thanks to their bumpy, dark gray armor, their appearance in the water resembles a drifting log. This camouflage, coupled with a sophisticated buoyancy system, allows them to approach their prey without causing a ripple to the water’s surface.

Third, as cold-blooded, or ectothermic, creatures, alligators cannot regulate their body temperature internally; they rely on environmental heat sources. The sun warms them, and when they become too hot, alligators will cool themselves down by going into the water. On a hot, humid, sunny Louisiana day, alligators are just as likely as people to be enjoying the cool water.

Next, alligators are most active when temperatures are between 82° and 92° F. When temperatures drop below 70° F, they will stop feeding to conserve their energy. Below 55° F, they shun activity altogether and hide in burrows, which is the place where one would expect to find them during the winter months.

Finally, their mating season is from April through June. Female alligators (sows) build nests on land and construct them from piled vegetation and mud. Once males have fertilized the eggs, sows lay their clutch, cover their nest with mud and foliage to protect their offspring from predators, and then wait two-plus months for them to hatch.

Knowing these few facts about the aquatic life of alligators helps us understand when and where Louisiana’s most famous reptile is active and whether it is safe to swim in a given body of water.

Alligator Encounters

Encounters between alligators and humans are rare but do happen. Although they naturally fear humans, do not view them as a food source, and often retreat when they see people, alligators can become accustomed to human presence—and even emboldened to approach—if fed, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) warns against feeding alligators. Dispose of fish scraps and other human foods in designated receptacles. Tossing food in areas where alligators congregate has the same effect as feeding them directly: “Alligators overcome their natural shyness and become accustomed or attracted to humans when fed.”

To avoid encounters, LDWF recommends the following DOs and DON’Ts:

DON’T	DO
Don’t kill, harass, molest, or attempt to move alligators. A provoked alligator is likely to bite.	Do call your local LDWF office if you encounter a nuisance alligator that has lost its fear of people.
Don’t allow small children to play unsupervised in or around water.	Do closely supervise children when they play in or around water.
Don’t swim at night or during dusk or dawn when alligators most actively feed.	Do swim only during daylight hours and stay aware of your surroundings.
Don’t feed or entice alligators.	Do tell others that feeding alligators creates safety problems for people who want to use the water for recreation.
Don’t throw fish scraps into the water or leave them on shore.	Do dispose of fish scraps in garbage cans, available at most boat ramps and fish camps.
Don’t remove an alligator, even a small one, from its natural habitat or accept one as a pet.	Do view and photograph wild alligators from a safe distance of at least 50 feet.

If an Alligator Approaches or Attacks

As previously mentioned, encounters between alligators and humans are extremely rare; nevertheless, rare doesn’t mean never. If an alligator begins to chase you on land, the recommended course of action is to run—and to run fast. It is true that alligators can run 10-20 miles per hour in bursts, but they cannot maintain that speed.

A circumstance in which this might happen if a person stumbles across an alligator nest. “A female protecting her nest might charge a person who gets close to the nest but would quickly return to the nest after the intruder leaves,” explains LDWF.

Now, if an alligator does bite you, fight back by striking its sensitive snout and jawline and trying to gouge out its eyes. Don’t let it take you into the water, where it has a distinct advantage. Don’t attempt to pry open its jaw, as the bite force is well over 2,500 pounds. And definitely DO NOT PLAY DEAD. Alligators may abandon prey that puts up too much of a fight. These creatures do not want to expend undue energy fighting with their prey and will generally retreat.

Following an attack or encounter, seek medical treatment at a local hospital and report the incident to the local Department of Wildlife and Fisheries office, as the alligator may need to be removed or euthanized for being a nuisance. 

Is It Safe to Swim?

Louisiana’s safest swimming option is a public or private pool. Pools are not the alligator’s natural habitat. However, swimming in a lake or river on a hot, humid day is tough to pass on. By following the guidelines below, you can take the necessary precautions to avoid encountering an alligator.

• Do not swim at dusk or at night. Alligators have superior night vision and do much of their hunting as or after the sun goes down. Their activity level is highest at night.
• Do not swim near thick, vegetated areas or shorelines. Alligators are ambush predators and use the cover provided by the vegetation to sneak up on their prey. Plus, it’s difficult to see alligators as they blend in well with their surroundings.
• Do not splash water excessively as this can signal to alligators that an injured animal—or an easy meal—is in the water.
• Because alligators prefer temperatures over 82°F, cooler summer days make it less likely that an alligator is scouting the water. As mentioned before, when it’s cooler than 70° F, alligators stop feeding entirely.
• Swim where others are swimming, and do not swim alone. The noise created by a group of swimmers deters alligators.
• Do swim in designated swimming areas.

Local tourist boards and wildlife and fisheries offices will likely have additional guidance on how to safely swim in Louisiana’s waters and insider information on the best swimming holes. Generally, by taking these precautions and checking local advisories, people can safely swim in Louisiana’s lakes and rivers where alligators may live. However, if in doubt, skip the swimming and join another water activity like boating.

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