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Methods
Alligators can be raised in captivity on farms or on ranches. Alligator farms breed alligators, whereas ranches incubate and rear hatchlings collected from the wild. Farms do collect eggs from the wild but they also keep breeding adults in their facilities to produce their own eggs whereas ranches do not. Farming and ranching operations typically return a certain percentage of juveniles to the wild at a size associated with a high survival rate, an approach that increases overall alligator survival rates from the low numbers of successful eggs and juveniles usually observed in the wild.

Crocodiles can be housed in a number of ways depending on the goals of the rearing facility. Large areas of a lake or marsh can be enclosed for many individuals or a smaller area can be created for fewer individuals. Due to the size and lifespan of the animals, adult crocodiles need a substantial amount of space. Tourism can bring additional revenue to crocodile rearing facilities, but they must be made safe for the public and the crocodiles, while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing environment. This frequently depends on enclosures that can be easily cleaned without harming the animals. . If closed to public viewing, facilities have fewer requirements and can have a more practical design.

Alligators and crocodiles can be raised in captivity with "open cycle" or "closed cycle" methods. Open cycle refers to programs that are concerned with the health of the wild population and are using captive rearing as a means to supplement the wild populations. Closed-cycle operations are primarily concerned with harvest. In closed cycle operations, adult females are kept in captivity, and the eggs they lay are collected, incubated artificially, hatched, and the juveniles are grown to a certain size and harvested. Closed cycle operations provide no incentive for conservation and are often unsuccessful because the cost of starting and managing the operation often outweighs the profits gained from products. Although the cost of operating an open-cycle operation is comparable to closed cycle, the goal of an open cycle operation is the overall health of the species, rather than economic profit. Captive breeding and ranching operations provide more incentive to protect natural populations and are important contributors to the success of crocodilian populations.

Louisiana's Alligator Ranching Program
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) began research to increase alligator populations in 1964 following serious population declines from overharvest throughout the 1900s. During the early years, breeding, egg incubation, and post-hatching culture of alligators was intensively studied, and captive rearing methodologies were established. Although alligators breed successfully in captivity, ranching programs proved to be more cost effective and successful. 

Initially, the captive program was small and required LDWF staff members to harvest eggs from state owned lands and then incubate and hatch them. Department personnel would then distribute the hatchlings to farmers. The program gained popularity and demands soon could not be met by staff members. Consequently, quotas were changed so that ranchers could obtain eggs themselves from private lands that historically held healthy alligator populations. In return for collecting eggs, ranchers must return a percentage of juveniles back to the wild once they are 3 to 5 feet long. Approximately 12 percent of the eggs that hatch each year are returned back to the wild: this is the percentage that would survive if left in the wild. However, the number to be returned is based on a sliding scale that requires more to be returned if the average size of the juveniles is small, and fewer to be returned if average sizes are large.

Egg quotas are set each year by first assessing the number of alligator nests available. LDWF staff conduct annual nest surveys to determine the number of nests built and then use these data to set conservative egg harvest quotas for each property. Once licensed alligator egg collectors receive their quotas, they survey the areas from which they have permission to collect. Most collectors locate nests by flying ultralight air craft or helicopters. Nests are usually marked by GPS, flagging tape, or PVC pipes, and eggs are collected, usually by airboat. Embryos attach to the top of the eggs and must be kept upright or the embryos will die, so the tops of the eggs are marked before being placed into storage containers for transport.

Eggs are incubated for approximately 65 days at temperatures ranging from 86 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit, and once hatched, the alligators are transferred to grow out facilities. All alligator rearing facilities must meet requirements established by LDWF, including the capacity to regulate and maintain water and air temperatures, and drain and hold water. Most buildings contain shelves or stalls to limit the number of alligators in one area to minimize overcrowding.

Alligators in Louisiana are managed as a renewable natural resource. Due to the economic value placed on alligators, landowners have incentives to manage their properties for the benefit of the species. Managing their land for alligators also benefits other species, which use the same habitat, including birds, aquatic mammals, and fish.

From 1986 to 2012 over 7.5 million alligator eggs were collected, and of those eggs, approximately 84.4% hatched. The number of alligators returned to the wild over this period totals 861,614. Farmers in Louisiana harvest more than 280,000 alligators a year, at an estimated value of over 46 million dollars.