No, there are no alligators in Australia. Only two alligator species are left in the world—the Chinese and American alligators- and both are endemic to their namesake.
What Australia has are crocodiles. There are two species of crocodiles found in the country. These are the saltwater crocodile and the freshwater crocodile.

Are there crocodiles in Queensland?
Yes, crocodiles are common in northern Queensland. There is no waterway in Queensland that has no crocodile.
Croc country, which means that the place is inhabited by crocodiles, begins at the Boyne River. From here, the crocodile habitat extends upward of Queensland. Sometimes, these crocodiles wander, and they may be in areas where one does not expect a crocodile to show up.
The government of Australia warns its citizens. Even if one does not see crocodiles, it does not mean that no croc is around at all. It is possible that the crocs are hiding, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Crocodiles are great at camouflage, and they can be unseen even in waters that are only knee-deep. As far as camping goes, people are advised to camp at least 50 meters from the edge of the water.
The government also tells people to keep water collection short. People must also not get water from the same spot, as crocodiles are excellent at spotting repeatedbehaviors. They will use this observation to attack.
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Crocodile Types in Australia
There are two types of crocodiles in Australia, and these are :
- Saltwater Crocodile or Crocodylusporosus
- Freshwater Crocodile or Crocodylus johnstoni
Then saltwater croc lives in the Northern Territory. There are big coastal wetlands in rivers in that area, and the climate is generally cooler.
The Australian saltwater crocodile is highly aggressive. It is also one of the biggest, and males can grow up to six meters. In the past, people have recorded saltwater crocs growing past the 10-meter mark.
The saltwater crocodile has a large head, and it has between 64 and 68 teeth. The saltwater croc spends little time in dry land, which means that people should really beware of the waters.
The saltwater croc lives in coastal rivers where the water is brackish. They also live in wetlands, in the open sea, and on shorelines.
On the other hand, the Australian freshwater crocodile is smaller than the saltwater croc. Some people refer to it as Johnstone’s crocodile, but Australians refer to it as the freshie.
This species is endemic to the country. Unlike the saltwater croc, the freshie is not aggressive. They do not have the reputation to eat humans. However, they would bite in self-defense.
While the saltwater crocs are found in the north, the freshie lives in the west. There are freshwater crocs in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
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Are there alligators in Queensland?
No, there are no alligators in Queensland. Alligators are endemic to the United States and China only. The crocodilian that one may encounter in Queensland is the saltwater crocodile.
In Queensland, one may find a saltwater crocodile in the sea. These crocs may also find their way in the coastal waterway of Rockhampton, in the north. Some crocodiles can travel as far south as the Mary River.
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Could alligators live in Australia: why or why not?
Yes, alligators can live in Australia. There are many areas in the country where alligators are best-suited, such as lakes and rivers.
There are even swamps in the country, and the biggest is Gurruwiling, commonly known as the Arafura Swamp.
Alligators would love Arafura, as it has lots of paperbark forests and lagoons. It is also home to many types of grass and sinkholes.
Alligators are crocodilians that thrive in a body of freshwater. It is not as adapted to saline waters as some crocodile species.
In addition, if freshwater crocodiles can live in Australia, there is no reason for the alligator not to be able to survive in the country.
Are there alligators in zoos in Australia?
There are several zoos in Australia that show the American alligator. One is the Australia Zoo, which is one of the biggest zoos in the country. In Australia Zoo, they also show the two native crocodiles—the saltwater and freshwater crocodiles.
People can take photographs of the American alligator at Australia Zoo’s Photography Studio. One of the best things about the Australia Zoo is the involvement of the Irwin family—this is the legacy of Steve Irwin, one of the most famous Australian zookeepers.
Here are some of the other animals found in the Australia Zoo:
- Anaconda
- Cassowary
- Binturong
- Different big cats
- Lots of birds
- Dingo
- Bearded dragon
- Komodo dragon
- Sumatran elephant
There are many shows in the zoo, and some of the highlights are the showtime in the Crocoseum and the Croc school (Steve Irwin’s research about crocs).
Another zoo that has alligators is Taronga Zoo. Taronga operates in both Sydney and Dubbo. However, Taronga keeps more crocodiles than alligators in their zoos.
Here are some of the animals that one can see in Taronga Sydney:
- Asian Elephants
- Chimpanzees
- Southern Corroboree Frogs
- Red Kangaroo
- Sun Bears
- Giraffe
- Sumatran Tigers
- Meerkats
- Gorillas
- Koalas
- Tree Kangaroos
- Regent Honeyeaters
Overall, the zoo has more than 5,000 animals from more than 250 species. Many of these animals are ina“threatened” status.
Finally, there is also an American alligator in Adelaide Zoo. There are two gators in the zoo, and it is a pair. They are called George and Barbara. Their enclosure is huge, and people can watch them from a glass wall.
These gators arrived back in 1989. The pair came from another zoo, which was Australian Reptile Park in Gosford, New South Wales.The zookeepers do not feed the gators during the year’s colder months.
Summary
There are no alligators in Australia, but there are crocodiles. There are two species of crocodiles which are saltwater and freshwater crocodiles. Some zoos in Australia keep alligators, but gators are not endemic to the continent. The saltwater crocodile has the most number, which is around 200,000 adults.

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