Watch out! These are the most gator-infested lakes in Florida

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With over 1 million alligators estimated to live in Florida, it’s not a surprise to find one living in a body of water near you.

However, some lakes carry more alligators than others, according to A-Z Animals, which released its list of the most alligator-infested lakes in the state.

The top lake on the list was Lake Okeechobee, which makes sense, as it’s the largest lake in the state with a surface area of over 700 square miles.

According to the ranking, it’s large enough that researchers performing the alligator census have to break it up into different regions.

While Lake Okeechobee takes the top spot, there are still plenty of others to be wary of. The full ranking is as follows:

Rank Lake County/Counties No. of Gators
1 Lake Okeechobee Glades/Hendry/Martin/
Okeechobee/Palm Beach
9,308
2 Orange Lake Alachua 2,732
3 Lake George Volusia 2,660
4 Lake Jesup Seminole 2,414
5 Lake Kissimmee Osceola 2,065
6 Lake Istokpoga Highland 1,321
7 Lake Hatchineha Polk 1,287
8 Kenansville Lake Indian River 1,188
9 Lake Rousseau Levy 708
10 Newnan’s Lake Alachua 657
11 Lake Apopka Orange 634
12 Lake Panasoffkee Sumter 576
13 Lake Hancock Polk 559
14 Lake Griffin Lake 534
15 Blue Cypress Lake Indian River 499
16 Lake Miccosukee Jefferson 472
17 Lochloosa Lake Alachua 338
18 Lake Pierce Polk 314
19 Lake Marion Osceola 275
20 Lake Seminole Pinellas 238
21 Crescent Lake Putnam 214
22 Lake Weohyakapka Polk 168
23 Lake Arbuckle Polk 168
24 Lake Dexter Polk 166
25 Lake Lamonia Leon 144
26 Lake Monroe Volusia 138
27 Johns Lake Orange 124
28 Lake Wimico Gulf 113
29 Lake Hicpochee Gulf 109
Alligator Lake
(Honorable Mention)
Osceola 47

As a reminder: it’s against state law to kill or harass an alligator without a permit, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission generally suggests that people try to leave the animals alone if they’re able.

For more information on how to avoid alligator attacks or keep safe during encounters, click here.

Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below:

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