{"id":1479,"date":"2026-06-13T08:33:57","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T08:33:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1479"},"modified":"2026-06-13T08:33:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T08:33:57","slug":"nc-has-lots-of-alligators-heres-where-youre-most-likely-to-see-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1479","title":{"rendered":"NC has lots of alligators. Here\u2019s where you\u2019re most likely to see one"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

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In the last two months, alligators have been spotted sitting on a front porch<\/a>, playing tug of war with police officers<\/a>, walking from house to house<\/a>, and on Tuesday, June 9, one was found shot to death.<\/a><\/p>\n

Read more National Tex-Mex chain closes last remaining restaurant near Charlotte<\/a><\/p>\n

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Alligator Biologist Alicia Wassmer<\/a> said that as North Carolina\u2019s human population booms, biologists are seeing more human-alligator interactions<\/b> in the state.<\/p>\n

The North Carolina Resources Commission maintains a Human Wildlife Interaction Hotline staffed by four full-time biologists.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe numbers of calls that we got just about alligators in the last few years, it\u2019s more and more each year, and it\u2019s definitely tied to that increase in human development, particularly places like Brunswick (county),\u201d Wassmer said.<\/p>\n

The majority of calls to NCWRC\u2019s Wildlife Hotline concerning alligators come from the two southernmost coastal counties of New Hanover and Brunswick<\/b>, according to the commission.<\/a> Human populations have doubled in New Hanover and tripled in Brunswick since the species was removed from the federal endangered species list in 1987.<\/p>\n

North Carolina is the third-fastest growing state in the country, The News & Observer reported<\/a>. Unlike people, there is no estimate for how many alligators are in North Carolina, Wassmer said. North Carolina is the northernmost edge of the range for alligators<\/a>, with lower densities than locations further south.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re much more pocketed in the places along the coast where they live<\/b>, and so surveys to come up with a statewide population estimate would be a lot more intense and time consuming and expensive than they would be in the core of the range,\u201d Wassmer said.<\/p>\n

Despite naturally lower populations of alligators, Wassmer said the reptiles are very important to the coastal environment they inhabit.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThey\u2019re just really important ecologically to the ecosystems where they live, so they are definitely a positive, have positive impact on the environment where they are, and we want to do everything we can to keep alligators wild and people safe,\u201d Wassmer said.<\/p>\n

Wassmer said the commission encourages people to reference GatorWise<\/a>, a multistate outreach initiative modeled on BearWise, an initiative to standardize information about living safely near bears.<\/p>\n

Wildlife agencies in each of the 11 states where the alligator is found are involved in GatorWise.<\/p>\n

Wassmer said unlike mammals, alligators won\u2019t necessarily bolt if they see people, so you might be able to observe them \u2014 but from a safe distance.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnvision the length of a full-size school bus, you know, have at least that far between you and the alligator, even for the really small ones,\u201d Wassmer said. \u201cFor the really big ones, I\u2019d say even two school bus lengths is better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Questions about life in North Carolina? Or have a tip or story idea you\u2019d like to share? The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.<\/p>\n

Read more Wings, mattresses or something else: What should go in Soul Gastrolounge\u2019s old building?<\/a><\/p>\n

You can submit your question by filling out this form<\/a><\/b>. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In New Hanover and Brunswick counties, alligator sightings increase. Follow GatorWise guidance, never feed gators, leash pets, and maintain safe distances.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1478,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nNC has lots of alligators. 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