Over 100,000 alligators live in South Carolina’s coastal areas, lakes, swamps, and 29,898 miles of meandering rivers. South Carolina is divided by the Fall Line, a 900-mile-long natural boundary that divides the state. It runs alongside U.S. Highway 1. Above the fall line is the Piedmont plateau region, and below is the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The Coastal Plain is where most alligators reside. Let’s discover the top 7 most alligator-infested rivers in South Carolina.
Savannah River
301-mile-long Savannah River is the number one most alligator-infested river in South Carolina. It flows from Hartwell to Savannah, then into the Atlantic Ocean, creating the South Carolina – Georgia border on its winding way.
This epic river is home to rare wildlife species, including 12 endangered species. Many alligators live in the Savannah River due to its abundant fish and bird life, and female gators dig out nests in the riverbanks to raise their babies.
The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) studies alligators here to discover how pollutants affect long-lived reptiles and tracks individuals using GPS satellite transmitters attached to bony neck plates. It turns out that alligators in the Savannah River don’t stay put; they move about a lot. One Savannah River resident alligator undertook several ten-mile trips over land and plantations to hunt elsewhere.