Florida has about 1.3 million alligators, by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's estimate. That is roughly one for every 17 people in the state. They are in every county, every freshwater lake and most golf course ponds. Most are small. A few are not.
The records
- Longest, official: 14 feet 3.5 inches, 654 pounds, taken from Lake Washington in Brevard County in 2010. This is the FWC's listed state record.
- Heaviest: 1,043 pounds, caught in Orange Lake near Gainesville in 1989.
- Unofficial: In April 2016, a crew at Outwest Farms near Okeechobee shot a gator they measured at about 15 feet and 780 pounds while hog hunting. The photos went around the world; some people called them fake, the ranch says it was real. It was never certified, so the 2010 Lake Washington animal keeps the record.
- For scale: the largest alligator ever certified anywhere in the United States was 15 feet 9 inches, over 1,000 pounds, taken in the Alabama River system in 2014.
Anything over 12 feet is a giant. A 10-footer is a big gator. Most adults you will see from a boat are 6 to 9 feet, and that is plenty.
How dangerous are they?
Less than you think. FWC counts an average of about eight unprovoked bites a year across the whole state, out of millions of people who swim, fish and paddle in gator water. 2023 was the worst year in three decades with 23 bites, one of them fatal; 2024 had 11. The rules that keep those numbers low are simple: never feed one (it is illegal and it teaches them that people mean food), keep dogs away from the water's edge, do not swim at dusk or at night, and stay out of water where you cannot see the bottom near the bank.
Gator math: You can estimate an alligator's length from the water. The distance in inches from the eyes to the tip of the snout is roughly the animal's length in feet. Eight inches between the eyes and the nose means an eight-foot gator.
Where to see the big ones
The Everglades is the obvious answer and the right one. The freshwater side of the Ten Thousand Islands, the canals along the Tamiami Trail, and the backcountry rivers behind Everglades City are gator country, and winter is the season: cold mornings put them on the banks to warm up, and dry-season water levels crowd them into the deeper holes. Around Tampa Bay, the Hillsborough and Alafia rivers hold big resident gators, and Myakka River State Park near Sarasota is famous for them.
From a boat you are safe, you are above them, and you see far more than you ever will from a boardwalk. A Ten Thousand Islands tour out of Marco Island runs the mangrove edge where the salt and fresh water mix; a private charter can take you further up the rivers. Around Sarasota, pair a Myakka morning with a Gulf sandbar afternoon and you have seen both Floridas in a day.
Questions people ask
What is the largest alligator ever recorded in Florida?
The official state record is 14 feet 3.5 inches and 654 pounds, taken from Lake Washington in Brevard County in 2010. The heaviest on record was 1,043 pounds, from Orange Lake in 1989.
How many alligators are in Florida?
About 1.3 million, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
How often do alligators bite people in Florida?
FWC reports an average of about eight unprovoked bites per year statewide. 2023 had 23, the most in 30 years; 2024 had 11.
Where is the best place to see big alligators in Florida?
The Everglades and Big Cypress, especially in winter when cooler mornings put gators on the banks. Myakka River State Park near Sarasota and the rivers around Tampa Bay also hold large residents.
Is it safe to be on a boat near alligators?
Yes. Alligators avoid boats, and you are above the water. The real risks are swimming near banks at dusk, feeding them, and letting pets near the water.