Are There Any Alligators That Live in Atlanta?

Alligators live across most of the southern United States, even stretching as far north as North Carolina. Knowing that fact, it’s an easy thing to say that alligators live in Georgia, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Atlanta. Probably to the relief of many Atlanta residents, there aren’t any long-term alligators that live in or around the city. Alligators are some of the most cold-hardy crocodilians around, much more so than their cousins, the crocodile. The United States has one species of crocodile, the American crocodile. These reptiles are only found in Florida, however, and the American alligator can be found much further north. If alligators can survive as far north as North Carolina, however, aren’t they found in Atlanta, a city further south than even the most southern border of North Carolina? Well, it has to do with something known as the “Fall Line”.

The Georgia Fall Line

The Georgia Fall Line is a geological feature of the region and the dividing line between the gator and “gatorless” regions of the state. The Fall Line is a boundary that divides the northern and southern portions of the state. This boundary isn’t arbitrary, either. It is the historic boundary that marked the ancient shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean, as well as the dividing line of the modern-day Piedmont and Coastal Regions of the state. Alligators in the state of Georgia almost exclusively live to the south of the Fall Line. Additionally, Atlanta is located in the northern half of the state. The closest major cities along the Fall Line in relation to Atlanta are either Colombus or Macon, which are 107 and 85 miles away, respectively.

What Are the Closest Alligators to Atlanta?

Knowing that alligators live along the Fall Line gives us a reference for understanding how close Atlanta is to the nearest alligator. The Georgia Fall Line, roughly 80-100 miles to the south of Atlanta, is the closest place to find alligators in Georgia if traveling from the city. Still, it’s important to know that this is just the statistical average. Occasionally, alligators will head further north than the Fall Line, especially during warmer weather. Currently, there are between 200,000 and 250,000 alligators living in the state, and more than a few are sure to venture a mile or two north of the Fall Line when the situation demands it. Still, these transient gators aren’t permanent residents to the region as the winters are just a bit too cold for them. Generally, the coastal regions of the eastern United States have milder winters than the rest of the state’s interior. This phenomenon is why alligators are able to survive as far north as North Carolina since they only live along the coastal plain of the state. Alligators aren’t able to live within the interior of North Carolina for the same reasons they can’t live in Atlanta. If you want to find alligators in Georgia, the best place to start a search is along the Fall Line. In fact, there are four major cities along the Fall Line that are well-known to have alligators, namely, Columbus, Macon, Milledgeville, and Augusta. August is the most northerly of the cities along the Fall Line, but it’s also the closest to the ocean, reinforcing the idea that coastal winters are more tolerable for alligators living in the north.

Have There Ever Been Alligators Near Atlanta?

Although alligators don’t naturally live near Atlanta, they have been caught in the region before. It isn’t common, but a recent example shows that it does happen. One alligator was found in March 2022 in the nearby B.T. Brown Reservoir, a drinking reservoir well within the greater Atlanta metro area. Does this mean that alligators are heading north? Probably not. The most likely scenario is that someone released an alligator into the reservoir after it grew too big to keep as a pet. As crazy as it sounds, this is a somewhat common occurrence across the United States. Thankfully, certified alligator trappers were able to capture and relocate the confused gator to a more suitable location.

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