Alligator vs Crocodile: What's the Difference?
A crocodile’s snout is narrower and V-shaped, and its lower teeth still show when its mouth is shut. An alligator’s broad U-shaped snout hides them. The alligator is active by day and night; the crocodile is active at night.
Quick answers
They differ on 1 of the 8 quick answers: awake when.
| Question | Alligator | Crocodile |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Reptile | Reptile |
| Carnivore? | Yes | Yes |
| Dangerous? | Yes | Yes |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? differs | Day & night | Night |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? | In places | In places |
At a glance
| Question | Alligator | Crocodile |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | North America, Asia | Africa, Asia, Australia, Americas |
| Habitat differs | Wetland, Rivers & lakes | Rivers & lakes, Wetland, Coast |
| Size | Huge | Huge |
| Length differs | 2.6–4.4 m (American) | 1.5 m to over 6 m, by species |
| Weight differs | 91–360 kg (American) | Over 1,000 kg (largest saltwater) |
| Legs | 4 | 4 |
| Covered in | Scales | Scales |
| Lives | Alone | Alone |
| Lives for differs | 35–50 years | 70–100 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims | Yes | Yes |
| Lays eggs | Yes | Yes |
About each
Alligator
Two species of broad-snouted crocodilian: the American alligator of the south-eastern US, and the much smaller Chinese alligator, which is critically endangered.
Everything on the alligator page
Crocodile
Big, armoured reptiles that ambush prey at the water’s edge across the tropics, from the 1.5 m dwarf crocodile to the saltwater crocodile, which can pass 6 m.
Everything on the crocodile page
Sources
- Wikipedia: Alligator
- Wikipedia: American alligator
- Animal Diversity Web: Alligator mississippiensis
- Wikipedia: Crocodile
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Commonly confused animals.