What exactly is a reptile? There are several common features that define them:
They are vertebrates (have a backbone)
They have scaly or leathery skin
They are ectothermic, meaning that they rely on their environment to maintain their body temperature instead of producing their own heat internally like birds and mammals.
Beyond these characteristics, reptiles are an incredibly diverse group of animals. Perhaps the most exciting reptile to see here at Ocmulgee is the American Alligator. Alligators are the largest reptiles found in the park, with adult males growing up to 15 feet long and weighing over 800 pounds! They typically live in freshwater environments such as rivers, swamps, lagoons, and marshes. Alligators come to the park every year from March to November and enjoy spending time in Clay Pond area. When winter approaches, they swim down Walnut Creek to join the Ocmulgee River and travel south to warmer climates.
Besides alligators, Ocmulgee has numerous snakes, lizards, skinks, and turtles that call the Park home. Venomous snakes such as the copperhead and water moccasin are in the Park, so be sure to give them plenty of space if you come across one during your hike. However, most of the snakes found here, such as the rat snake and kingsnake, are not a threat to humans. Turtles can often be seen basking on logs in Clay Pond and Walnut Creek. Lizards and skinks can be trickier to spot, but these nimble reptiles can sometimes be spotted scurrying through the underbrush throughout the Park.
Reptiles are important to the Park’s ecosystem by helping control the rodent and insect populations in the Park, and by being a food source to a variety of species.
There are 35 species of reptiles recorded in the park. Find the full checklist of reptiles here.
