American Alligator

Alligators live in the wetlands of the southern United States. The reptiles were hunted close to extinction. After they were listed under the Endangered Species Act, hunting was prohibited and their habitat was protected. The species has made a dramatic recovery and was removed from the endangered species list in 1987. Because American alligator populations have recovered so well, hunting and egg collecting are allowed and a multi-million dollar industry has thrived in the South.