The American alligator is a large crocodilian from the United States.
American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) at the Toronto Zoo.
When you see reports of large gators showing up in people’s homes, in their swimming pools, under cars etc. in Florida that is the American alligator. American alligators seem to be everywhere and aren’t particularly afraid of humans.
Alligators are predators that will eat almost any animal they can kill.
A grown alligator can very well kill and eat a human, so if you meet one try not to harass it. If an alligator shows up in your home call the appropriate wildlife control authorities in your area.
I have been taking pictures of the American alligator at the Toronto Zoo lots of times but none of them looked very good as it is not really possible to get close to them or get a decent angle. Since American alligators are dangerous predators they are kept in such a way that humans can’t get anywhere near them. Then when I attended a reptile show I saw a juvenile specimen in a large display terrarium, so I quickly took some pictures.
A juvenile American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) exhibited (but not offered for sale)
at the 2014 Canadian Reptile Breeders Expo.
Alligator meat is edible (to humans), I only had some deep fried alligator meat once, it tasted like frog legs.
Further Readings:
American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) on ARKIVE.
American Alligator.
Alligator mississippiensis on Animal Diversity Web.