Skip to main content
Menu

Alligator Population Monitoring

An understanding of American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) population status and trends in Florida is important for developing management plans and making management decisions. Since the inception of the statewide alligator harvest in 1988, surveys have been conducted on areas known as alligator management units (AMUs). This ongoing research is used to monitor population trends and establish harvest quotas for AMUs throughout the state.

Night-light Surveys

Watch FWRI biologists as they conduct a night-light survey for American alligators on Lake Kissimmee. Every spring and summer, researchers use these surveys to estimate alligator population numbers in Florida.