More than 300 alligators suddenly swarmed a boat basin at Georgia’s Stephen C. Foster State Park on Saturday—only to disappear just 24 hours later. The massive gathering, captured in a park Facebook video, showed the reptiles swimming, feeding, and even engaging in what rangers called “a bit of gator drama,” park officials said in the post. “These big, beautiful creatures were hanging out and putting on a show,” they added, claiming witnesses had reported the alligators catching fish, snatching a turtle, and occasionally bellowing in the confined space. Mark Hoog, an alligator researcher at the University of Georgia’s Coastal Ecology Lab, estimated nearly 300 gators had crowded into the basin and nearby canal. In a video posted on Facebook, he explained that such events only occur once or twice a year, and the reasons why remain unclear. “There was very little bellowing and no courtship displays,” Hoog said, ruling out mating behavior. Instead, he suggested the gathering may have been driven by food availability, water levels, or temperature fluctuations. Located near the Okefenokee Swamp, the park saw a similar alligator convergence last July. As quickly as they appeared, the reptiles vanished by Sunday, leaving scientists and visitors intrigued by the unexplained phenomenon.
Happy #GatorGossip Monday! After years of trying, researcher Mark Hoog finally got to be present during one of the rare alligator congregations that happens on the west side of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
As you can see from the video, hundreds of alligators congregated on the west side of the Swamp this past Saturday, at the boat basin and canal leading from Stephen C. Foster State Park out into Billy’s Lake. This rare occurrence happens only once or twice a year, typically in the summer months. We had heard about and seen photos of this event before, but this was the first time we were able to witness it in person, document it, and try to understand why this event occurs. So with that, let’s jump into what we saw and what we think might be causing this unique event. First, there were around 300 alligators at this congregation, almost completely contained within the boat basin and canal leading from the boat basin to Billy’s Lake. Second, this congregation did not last very long, only about 24 hours. The alligators showed up on the morning of the 26th and were gone by the morning of the 27th. Third, the number of alligators present was highest in the early morning and late in the evening. However, it did not seem like they left and came back, but rather hunkered down on the bottom during the hottest part of the day, periodically coming to the surface for air and then remaining on the surface when the temperatures were cooler. Fourth, the normally black water of the swamp was brown as the alligators stirred up all the mud and sediment from the bottom. Fifth, this was not the result of mating; there was very little bellowing and no courtship displays. As to what is causing this, we are not entirely sure, but it seems to be some combination of resource availability (food) and environmental factors (water level and temperature).
We will continue to share more photos, videos, and information about what might be causing the congregation, so make sure you follow our page and check back each Monday if you want to learn more!
#RespectPredators #ProtectPredators #UGACoastalEcologyLab #Conservation #scicomm #alligators #apexpredators #reptilesrule #LoveBlackwater #Gator #OkefenokeeSwamp #protectwildlife #alligatorcongregation
Posted by UGA Coastal Ecology Lab on Monday 28 July 2025