Could an SC alligator beat a shark in a fight? Take a look

Alligators live in lakes and streams. Sharks in the ocean. Unlikely they’d meet, although alligators can live in saltwater, but what if they did?

In the spirit of all the great and terrifying movies featuring the two by themselves — think Jaws and Crawl — who would win in a battle of reptile versus fish.

Let’s consider these sneaky predator’s assets.

They’re both big by human standards but sharks are much bigger. About twice the weight and almost twice the length. The largest alligator on record caught in South Carolina was about 1,300 pounds and 13 feet long.

Sharks can swim faster in water. Alligators are fast on land — 35 miles per hour for short distances compared to a person at 25 miles per hour — but in the water it’s more like 20. American Oceans says some sharks like shortfin mako and the great white, can travel up to 60 miles per hour, others more like 40 and 25. Even for the slowest shark, a respectable advantage.

AZ Animals says alligators’ bite with their two-inch teeth and strong jaw can do some serious damage. Sharks’ bite is stronger and they have two rows of teeth, some of which can be six inches long.

Alligators don’t see particularly well in the water — they have a protective membrane over their eyes — but they have a profound sense of smell. Depending on whose research you’re reading, sharks have great eyesight or their inability to see color makes them rely on motion and brightness to hunt. But they have a great sense of smell, and they can hear low frequencies, AZ animals said.

All this, AZ Animals says, adds up to the shark besting the alligator.

This story was originally published June 13, 2023 at 8:00 AM.