The growth of the alligator population in Arkansas has environmental impact and raises potential safety concerns

The American alligator, once on the brink of extinction, has made a remarkable comeback in Arkansas, thriving in the state’s southern wetlands, rivers, and lakes. Thanks to decades of conservation efforts, the alligator population has grown significantly, prompting both awe and concern among residents, wildlife officials, and visitors.

As the population expands, Arkansas is grappling with managing these apex predators, addressing public safety risks, and monitoring their northward migration along rivers and streams.

Arkansas’s alligator population has rebounded from near-extinction in the mid-20th century, largely due to restocking programs and federal protections. Between 1972 and 1984, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC), in collaboration with Louisiana’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, released 2,841 alligators across southern, eastern, and central Arkansas.

Approximately 80% of these were placed on private lands to control populations of rough fish, turtles, venomous snakes, and beavers. By 1987, the species was removed from the Endangered Species Act list, a testament to its recovery.

Today, alligators are primarily concentrated in the southern half of Arkansas, particularly in the Delta region, where swampy areas near rivers, lakes, and wetlands provide ideal habitats. Millwood Lake, with an estimated 3.2 alligators per mile, and the Lower Arkansas River Wetland Complex near Tichnor support some of the state’s densest populations.

Grassy Lake, near Lake Millwood, boasts the highest density at 91.8 alligators per mile.

To manage the growing alligator population, the AGFC has implemented a regulated sport hunting season since 2007. In 2024, hunters harvested 181 alligators across three southern Alligator Management Zones (AMZs), marking the second-highest harvest on record with an 86% success rate.

The AGFC issues 50 public hunting permits annually through a draw system, allowing hunting on designated Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), lakes, and rivers. New hunting areas, such as Lake Columbia and Bragg Lake in AMZ 2, were added in 2024 to expand opportunities.

Amanda Bryant, AGFC herpetologist, noted that the controlled harvest helps maintain healthy population levels while reducing nuisance calls. “We see a strong relationship between the added harvest opportunity and lower nuisance calls,” Bryant said.

The commission conducts annual surveys along 16 established routes, counting alligator eye shines to estimate harvestable populations.

Nuisance alligators—those posing threats to humans, livestock, or property—are typically relocated. The AGFC reports that nuisance complaints have not increased significantly, and relocated alligators, such as those at Kingfisher Lake in Petit Jean Wildlife Management Area, are often successfully integrated into new habitats.

While alligators have bolstered Arkansas’s biodiversity, their presence poses risks. Alligators are generally shy and avoid humans, but they can become dangerous if provoked, fed, or encountered in close quarters.

Jen Caraway, Miller County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, advises residents to steer clear of alligators and report sightings to the AGFC. “There’s not much you can do if you encounter one, other than stay clear and call it in,” she said.

Livestock producers are particularly cautious, as alligators may prey on animals drinking from ponds.

Caraway recommends maintaining secure water tanks for livestock to minimize encounters. Alligators are also powerful predators capable of delivering bone-crushing bites and performing the infamous “death roll,” as seen in a recent North Carolina incident where an alligator resisted capture by law enforcement.

Public safety concerns are heightened in areas like Millwood Lake, where anglers have expressed worries about overpopulation. The AGFC’s 2024 harvest at Millwood was encouraging, addressing some of these concerns.

Visitors to popular spots like Millwood State Park and Arkansas Post National Memorial are advised to observe alligators from safe vantage points and avoid feeding them, which is illegal and dangerous.

Arkansas lies at the northern edge of the alligator’s natural range, with colder temperatures in the northern half of the state limiting their spread. However, warming climate trends and river systems have facilitated northward migration along waterways like the Arkansas, Ouachita, and Mississippi Rivers.

Alligator sightings in Arkansas

The northernmost known population resides at Kingfisher Lake in Petit Jean WMA, though these are believed to be relocated nuisance alligators rather than naturally occurring residents.

The Mississippi River in Phillips County, part of AMZ 3, is approximately 100 miles south of the Missouri state line, marking the northernmost reaches of significant alligator populations in Arkansas.

Experts like Brandon Butler, a wildlife commentator, suggest that if climate trends continue, alligators could eventually appear in southern Missouri. “If current climate trends continue, I expect we’ll have alligators here at home in the not too distant future,” Butler wrote.

Rivers and streams, such as the Ouachita River and Bayou Bartholomew, serve as corridors for alligator movement. While no confirmed sightings have been reported in northern Arkansas’s colder waters, such as Lake Ouachita, the potential for migration exists as temperatures rise and habitats shift.

Arkansas’s alligator population is a conservation triumph, but it requires careful management to balance ecological benefits with public safety. The AGFC’s hunting programs, relocation efforts, and public education campaigns aim to keep the population in check while minimizing conflicts.

As alligators continue to thrive and potentially expand northward, residents and visitors are urged to respect these powerful reptiles and report sightings to authorities.