How to Draw a Mississippi Alligator

In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Mississippi Alligator in 6 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.

The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.

Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.

At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Mississippi Alligator.

Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.

How to Draw a Mississippi Alligator - Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: First, we are going to draw the head of the Mississippi Alligator. The head is round but for the mouth area.

Step 2: The second step is to draw the face. The eyes are two circles, the nose is two small triangles, and the mouth meets with the top of the head.

Step 3: The third step is to draw the front legs. Each leg has 4 toe, draw rounded lines for the elbow and the rough skin.

Step 4: The next step is to draw the long body. It has a round body and scales down the middle of the body

Step 5: Then we are going to draw the hind legs. The hind legs have 3 toes and the lines for the rough skin.

Step 6: The final step is to draw the tail. The tail is shaped like a triangle and has ridges along the top.

Interesting Facts about the Mississippi Alligator

The Mississippi alligator is also known the American alligator. They range in length from 3 to 4.5 meters. The Mississippi alligator lives in the south-east of the United States. They are found in freshwater slow-moving rivers, swamps, marshes, and lakes. This alligator has a rounded snout and closed jaws; none of its lower teeth are visible. Young Mississippi alligators feed on insects and freshwater shrimp. Adults eat fish, frogs, mammals, and snakes.

Did you know?

  • The Mississippi alligator is the largest reptile in North America.
  • This alligator is considered to be a living fossil. It has survived on Earth in the same form for 200 million years.
  • The jaw of the Mississippi alligator contains about 74 to 80 sharp teeth.
  • Females usually lay 25 to 60 eggs each time. Incubation lasts for about 65 days.
  • Young Mississippi alligators are preyed upon by large fish, birds, and raccoons.

Lesson plan note: Draw a large picture of the Mississippi alligator. Make copies and distribute to each child. Have the children use markers, crayons, or colored pencils to color their alligator. Write the name of each child on the back of their picture. Then, hang each Mississippi alligator on the bulletin board for everyone to see. If you are able, visit your local zoo to see crocodiles and alligators up close!

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