According to recent counts, Louisiana is the state with the most alligators. Not only does Florida have fewer alligators, they also have smaller gators. This is because of the consistently higher temperatures. While crocodiles are adapted for hot temperatures, alligators do better in slightly cooler climates. Higher temperatures speed up their metabolism, which means that they burn up their food faster. This is effectively the same as getting less food, so they do not grow as fast or as large as their relatives in Louisiana.