Here we have some crocodiles and alligators. The big 36-inch croc is from Wild Republic. Sitting on the croc from left to right: an Alligator hand puppet from Ganz, a Wild Republic alligator, and Swampy the Ty Beanie Baby. Sitting in front of the big croc from left to right are: Gotcha the Alligator from Aurora, Swampy from Russ Berrie, Everglade the Alligator from Dakin's Lou Rankin collection, a little gator Snuggle Buddy from Wild Republic, and finally Ally, another Ty Beanie Baby. You can find some of these alligators and crocs in our Gift Shop.

Alligators, crocodiles, gavials and caymans are all crocodilians, which live in and along swamps, rivers and lakes of the tropics and subtropics. There are two species of alligator still living: the Alligator mississipiensis of the southeastern United States (10 feet long) and the Chinese A. sinensis, found in China. (5 feet long).

The existing crocodilians are divided into three families, Gavialidae, Crocodilidae, and Alligatoridae. The gavials are sparsely distributed in India, the Malay Peninsula and the East Indies. Crocodiles are found in suitably moist regions throughout the tropics. The alligators, which together with the caimans of Latin America, make up the family Alligatoridae, are largely restricted to the New World. The only exception is the Chinese Alligator, Alligator sinensis, which is now nearly extinct.