Mississippi alligator An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. They are closely related to crocodiles. Alligators live in freshwater environments, such as ponds, marshes, wetlands, rivers, and swamps. Although alligators have heavy bodies and slow metabolisms, they are capable of short bursts of speed that can exceed 30 miles per hour. Alligators' main prey are smaller animals that they can kill and eat with a single bite. Alligators may kill larger prey by grabbing it and dragging it in the water to drown. Alligators consume food that cannot be eaten in one bite; the remains are either allowed to rot or are rendered by biting and then spinning or convulsing wildly until bite size pieces are torn off. Alligators are solitary, territorial animals. The largest of the species (both males and females), will defend prime territory; smaller alligators have a higher tolerance of other alligators within a similar size class. 固opFoto / Fortean