Are There Alligators in Any Parts of Illinois?

Alligators in parts of Illinois stretch credulity when you stop and think about it. Illinois gets quite cold in the winter, and it lacks the type of ecosphere you expect to see alligators in.

The morning mists that creep over the humid swamps of Louisiana, the sun and rain-drenched lakes of south Mississippi and Alabama, and the sweltering heat of South Florida all seem like the better choice for alligators.

Of course, nature is surprising, with animals all over the world surviving, and often thriving, in environments most people don’t associate them with. As cold-blooded reptiles that brumate throughout the winter months, can alligators survive the wintry conditions and less humid air in Illinois?

Are There Alligators in Parts of Illinois?

Only if you count the zoos. There is the occasional, exquisitely rare scenario where an alligator pops up far from where they usually are. There is no questioning the fact that alligators are not native to Illinois.

And, it’s doubtful alligators would make the conscious decision to choose Illinois over the likes of southern states. That’s not to say it never happens, however. For instance, in 2019, officials in Chicago brought in Florida alligator experts to pick up and return an alligator that was romping around in a woman’s garden.

How in the world did a gator end up in an Illinois woman’s garden? Well, there are a few explanations that make sense. The idea that the gator made its way from southern states to Illinois, under its power, is ludicrous. The most likely explanation is that someone, attempting to keep the gator as a pet, simply let it go.

This happens all the time. It’s the reason Florida is having so many problems with boa constrictors and two species of python. As a non-native species, boa constrictors are invasive, destroying the careful balance of Florida’s environment thanks to less-than-responsible boa constrictor owners.

Purchasing a reptile is one thing. Realizing it’s growing far too big and impossible to care for is another. The only other explanation for an alligator walking or swimming freely in Illinois is that it came from a zoo. Whether it escaped during transport or directly from the zoo was probably neither here nor there to the shocked woman who found one in her garden.

Could Alligators Migrate to Illinois?

It’s highly unlikely. First, the environment is not the most hospitable one for alligators. Second, breeding limitations with severely truncated seasons would plague them.

While alligators don’t hibernate, they do brumate, which is essentially hibernation-lite. Their metabolisms slow down, though they don’t go into a deep slumber. Winter conditions in Illinois are far longer than they are in the Deep South. Such a long brumation period wouldn’t be healthy for the alligator.

Humboldt Park Lagoon, another Chicago, Illinois location, is known for hosting Chance the Snapper, a nearly four-and-a-half-foot alligator that made a name for itself, literally. Like most alligators found in northern states from time to time, Chance the Snapper was probably released into the lagoon by a pet owner who took on more than he or she could handle.

It’s not likely that Chance the Snapper made his way up from warmer climes in the south. After Chance was captured by an alligator trapper from Florida, he was escorted to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in Florida.

Are There Crocodiles in Any Part of Illinois?

Whenever alligators enter the conversation, crocodiles usually follow. Rest assured, there are no crocodiles in Chicago outside the occasional zoo exception. Crocodiles are even more of a southern species than alligators. The American crocodile is only found in the southern half of the Florida peninsula.

They are primarily a Caribbean species, and South Florida is the extreme northern range for them. Though crocodiles are generally more aggressive than alligators, they are also more reclusive and difficult to spot.

Which States Have the Most Alligators?

It’s not Illinois. Florida and Louisiana are the two states that have the highest alligator populations. Each state has well over a million alligators throughout.

Alligators in Florida and Louisiana frequent the swampy marshes, however, it’s common to find them in lakes, rivers, creeks, and ponds all across the two states.

Alligators prefer the warm, humid, long summers of southern North America and South America. Illinois is a beautiful state, but it doesn’t exactly match the standard of living for the average alligator.

Zoos are exceptions only because alligators throughout Illinois’ zoos are kept in controlled environments that match their preferences and the best, most hospitable environment for them.

Is it Legal to Own an Alligator in Illinois?

It’s illegal to own an alligator in Illinois or to release one into the wild. That doesn’t stop people from doing it, which explains the infrequent sightings of alligators in the state.

Vermont, Texas, South Dakota, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Nebraska, Missouri, Maine, Indiana, Idaho, Delaware, and Florida are the only states that allow alligator ownership with the proper license or permit.

In all other states, it’s illegal, with few exceptions to the rule. Now, as an interesting side note, Indiana shares a border with Illinois and Indiana allows people to own alligators with a permit. That could be the explanation behind some alligator sightings in Illinois.

Owning an alligator is difficult since it is regulated by the state and by the federal government, via the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In almost all cases, an owner has to have a proper enclosure, with a body of water that is a specific width and depth.

Final Thoughts

Alligators found in parts of Illinois are historical and noteworthy finds precisely because they aren’t supposed to be there. Alligators in Illinois are concentrated in the zoo industry, with a few, rare exceptions for what are probably escaped or released gators.

Gators prefer the warmth and humidity of southern states, dominating the bodies of water in Louisiana and Florida. However, they are populous in all the southern states, ranging as far north as North Carolina. There are so many in Alabama that the state has an annual lottery hunt to cull the population.

So, while gators in Illinois pop up from time to time, they are very far from home and should be returned properly. If you live in Illinois and spot an alligator, recognize the fact that you’re seeing a rare event, then contact your local game warden or animal services.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Ruslan Mussin/Shutterstock.com