Okefenokee Tagged Alligator Research

Crocodilians are often marked for later by identification by research groups. Tags are highly visible but are sometimes damaged or torn out over time. According to a 2014 research paper, “Tagging crocodilians like the American Alligator and having them retain the tags may be more difficult than with other species as a result of the aquatic environments they inhabit, which have many underwater obstructions (e.g., sunken trees, logs, debris, etc.) that can catch on tags. Therefore, tag retention and durability may be compromised, which can be problematic for researchers.” Therefore, the notching or removal of caudal scutes is also used for identification. Obvious missing scutes along tail often indicate an individual is part of a research project and has been previously captured, sexed, measured and released. The alligator in this photograph is being tagged by the University of Georgia’s Coastal Ecology Lab in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.