Why Do We Study Alligators?
American alligators have been roaming the black waters of the Okefenokee Swamp long before our human explorations of these amazing habitats. It did not take long after our arrival, however, for us to realize their importance to the swamp ecosystem, to other animals, and to us. In recent and exciting history, the earth trembled as Okefenokee Swamp Park and the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant joined forces to begin alligator swamp research. Our goals are to advance our understanding of the who, when, and where of our swamp alligator family so that we may further our ability to manage and conserve this alligator population that is so precious to us and needs to be valued by future generations.
We launch the boats and forge our notepads as scientists and share their stories with you here. You also can learn more on our social media platforms, or even better yet, visit the swamp and climb into the boat yourself!
Research Objectives
Our research is cross-cutting across three primary areas