Are there alligators in South Carolina?

In the United States, alligators can be found in the southeast, including in South Carolina. They can also be found in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Alligators do not have a tolerance for salt and are therefore found in freshwater environments. Alligators prefer warmer climates and areas that have a high amount of prey, vegetation and mud. However, they can tolerate freezing temperatures in the water. Alligators typically inhabit swamps and marshes, but they can also be found near rivers or small bodies of water.

Alligators create burrows that are up to 20 feet deep in mud banks. They use the burrows or dens to hibernate during times of cold weather.