See you later, Alligator

Anatta Blue Chankhunthod

June 20, 2025

Big, scaly, and scary, alligators and crocodiles are two of the most famous, or infamous, reptiles belonging to the Crocodilia order. While often compared and put against each other, the two species share a few similarities, such as their lizard-like bodies with long snouts and short legs, as well as their predatory natures which place them on the top of their respective food chains. However, what would happen if the two beasts were put against each other? Who would come out on top as the apex predator? I believe that an alligator would beat a crocodile despite its physical disadvantages, as the alligator would be able to utilize outside factors more effectively than a crocodile would.

Before any theories, it is important to get some facts straight. On all accounts of physical attributes, crocodiles usually have alligators beat on almost everything. While the largest an alligator can get is around 13 feet and 1,000 pounds, saltwater crocodiles, the largest species of crocodiles, can grow to over 20 feet long and weigh 2,000 pounds, almost doubling an alligator in size. Furthermore, an alligator only has a bite force of around 2,900 PSI, while crocodiles can reach around 3,700 psi. 

However, these facts are only relevant when comparing an American alligator to a saltwater crocodile. When comparing an American alligator to an American crocodile, the matchup can favor the American alligator. An American crocodile is relatively the same size as an American alligator, with similarly sized bite forces. Taking this into account, it is fair to say that an American alligator and an American crocodile would have a fair fight. That is if it wasn’t in a freshwater environment.

Alligators are specialized and highly adapted to freshwater environments such as swamps and rivers, in which they can be stealthier and more agile. While crocodiles do live in freshwater environments, alligators only live there, giving them the edge when in freshwater. This inability to live in saltwater is due to alligators lacking specialized salt glands that other reptiles have, such as crocodiles, which allow them to excrete excess salt in their bodies. This home court advantage that the freshwater environments give to alligators is a deciding factor in whether an American alligator would beat an American crocodile, as an American alligator would use the terrain to their advantage, ambushing or outmaneuvering the crocodile.

All in all, while the largest crocodile would most likely defeat the largest alligator when comparing the American variants, the alligator would be the most probable victor due to an advantage in freshwater environments, which is where most of the encounters between the two species would occur.