Event Programs and Photo Albums Legacy Ball Kiawah 2015 Program | Page 41

American Alligator

research

The Town of Kiawah Island estimates that roughly 500
American alligators inhabit the brackish environments found across
the Island. Living up to 50 years, it is possible that some of Kiawah’s
alligators were here even before residential development began!

Historically research on these “modern day dinosaurs” was
limited. As a result, there is sparse data on the health of the overall
alligator population on Kiawah, but that has started to change. In the
spring of 2015, the Kiawah Conservancy began sponsorship of alligator
research. The key objectives of the study, which is being carried out by
a team of scientists from MUSC and the Hollings Marine Laboratory,
are to gather data on the American alligator population found on
Kiawah Island and to compare that data to ongoing studies of other
populations in coastal South Carolina and Florida. This information
is part of a comprehensive investigation surrounding the influence of
contaminants on developmental genetics and reproductive biology of
American alligator populations.

This year the research team sampled 50 Island alligators for
heavy metals, pesticides and hormone concentrations. In addition
to alligator health, this analysis will provide helpful insights into the
condition of Kiawah’s ponds and their surrounding habitats. Several
eggs were collected to determine viability and for environmental
contamination analysis. In early September, a group of hatchlings from
this sample were returned to their home pond where they are now
being carefully protected by their mama gator!

For more information on the study and to stay updated
on the ongoing alligator research project, please visit the Kiawah
Conservancy’s website: kiawahconservancy.org and follow us on
Facebook and Twitter.