With over 1 million alligators estimated to live in Florida, it’s not a surprise to find one living in a body of water near you.
However, some lakes carry more alligators than others.
Earlier this year, A-Z Animals released its list of the most alligator-infested lakes in Florida.
The top lake on the list was Lake Okeechobee, which makes sense, as it’s the largest lake in the state with a surface area of over 700 square miles.
According to the ranking, it’s large enough that researchers performing the alligator census have to break it up into different regions.
While Lake Okeechobee takes the top spot, there are still plenty of others to be wary of. The full ranking is as follows:
| Rank | Lake | County/Counties | No. of Gators |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Okeechobee | Glades/Hendry/Martin/ Okeechobee/Palm Beach |
9,308 |
| 2 | Orange Lake | Alachua | 2,732 |
| 3 | Lake George | Volusia | 2,660 |
| 4 | Lake Jesup | Seminole | 2,414 |
| 5 | Lake Kissimmee | Osceola | 2,065 |
| 6 | Lake Istokpoga | Highland | 1,321 |
| 7 | Lake Hatchineha | Polk | 1,287 |
| 8 | Kenansville Lake | Indian River | 1,188 |
| 9 | Lake Rousseau | Levy | 708 |
| 10 | Newnan’s Lake | Alachua | 657 |
| 11 | Lake Apopka | Orange | 634 |
| 12 | Lake Panasoffkee | Sumter | 576 |
| 13 | Lake Hancock | Polk | 559 |
| 14 | Lake Griffin | Lake | 534 |
| 15 | Blue Cypress Lake | Indian River | 499 |
| 16 | Lake Miccosukee | Jefferson | 472 |
| 17 | Lochloosa Lake | Alachua | 338 |
| 18 | Lake Pierce | Polk | 314 |
| 19 | Lake Marion | Osceola | 275 |
| 20 | Lake Seminole | Pinellas | 238 |
| 21 | Crescent Lake | Putnam | 214 |
| 22 | Lake Weohyakapka | Polk | 168 |
| 23 | Lake Arbuckle | Polk | 168 |
| 24 | Lake Dexter | Polk | 166 |
| 25 | Lake Lamonia | Leon | 144 |
| 26 | Lake Monroe | Volusia | 138 |
| 27 | Johns Lake | Orange | 124 |
| 28 | Lake Wimico | Gulf | 113 |
| 29 | Lake Hicpochee | Gulf | 109 |
| -- | Alligator Lake (Honorable Mention) |
Osceola | 47 |
As a reminder: it’s against state law to kill or harass an alligator without a permit, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission generally suggests that people try to leave the animals alone if they’re able.
For more information on how to avoid alligator attacks or keep safe during encounters, click here.