Here’s when you’ll start seeing alligators in SC again in 2025 and it may be sooner than you think
.jpg "Wondering when you’ll start seeing alligators again? It might be sooner than you think")
With the colder months upon us, alligators seemingly disappear from the Lowcountry, but they’re not far.
Once the temperature gets below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, alligators go through what is referred to as brumation, where they burrow underground in mud holes and dig with their tails to escape the cold. These holes are formally called gator holes and can be up to 65 feet long.
Brumation is a state where alligators burrow underground for warmth and protection, but do not go into a deep sleep like hibernation, according to the South Carolina Aquarium website. Cold-blooded animals simply enter a dormant-like state and only drink water to avoid dehydration.
But when do they come back?
Brumation lasts roughly four to five months, between November to early March.
However, it’s not uncommon to see an alligator out and about during the colder months. According to the PeeDee Wildlife Control, alligators “typically only emerge on warm days to bask in the sun.”
When the alligators emerge during the warmer and sunnier days, they absorb what heat they can since their bodies don’t go through a hibernation-like shut-down.
Although this brumation period may extend until March, it has been known that they may begin to become active during February, or once the weather gets above 70 degrees Fahrenheit again.
Peak temperatures for alligator activity are between 82 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit, so if temperatures rise during the winter months, don’t be surprised if you see these reptiles out and about sooner than expected.
This story was originally published February 6, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
