Alligators are often dismissed as slow, clumsy swimmers. In reality they are one of the most versatile locomotors among living reptiles, switching between distinct gaits on land and a highly efficient propulsion system in water. On land, alligators use multiple modes: - Belly crawl: a low, sprawling posture where the body slides along the ground, used for short moves and entering water - High walk: the limbs rotate beneath the body to lift the trunk clear of the ground, a semi-erect posture closer to mammals than to lizards - Bursts: short, fast charges, typically over just a few body lengths, powered by large hindlimb and tail muscles The high walk matters biomechanically. Holding the limbs more vertically shortens the moment arm between the joints and the ground reaction force. That cuts the muscle force needed to support body weight compared with a full sprawl. In water, the strategy flips completely: - The limbs fold tight against the body to reduce drag - The tail, roughly ha...