Why Have Alligators Not Evolved?
“Alligators are often called “living fossils”, relatively untouched by major evolutionary changes for at least eight million years, with remarkably similar ancestors already hunting swamps alongside the dinosaurs. Yet, beginning in the 1850s, the arrival of rifle-wielding European settlers into the wetlands of Florida and Louisiana drove this evolutionary line to the verge of extinction.”-—How Alligators Are Breathing Life Into Florida’s Everglades, BBC Earth, April 19, 2025
If there is no fossil support for the evolution of reptiles, and alligators haven’t had any evolutionary changes since they emerged 8 million year ago, Macro-evolution, or Darwinism, itself is undermined, as well it should be. This is why alligators have not evolved.
“So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. On the seventh day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1,2 CSB). This verse eliminates any possibility of future evolution from the point where God created creatures who live in the water, because God finished, or completed his work, several thousand years ago, according to the Biblical timetable.
Both the Bible and proven science give powerful evidence that alligators have not evolved. Only the Bible, however, tells us where they really came from.
9 thoughts on “Why Have Alligators Not Evolved?”
Alligators have evolved, just not very much. The speed of evolution in different species depends on survival, reproduction, mutations, time, and natural selection.
Assertion without evidence.
Evidence indicates alligators have not evolved.
You already provided some evidence in support of my assertion. You wrote:
“Alligators are often called ‘living fossils’, relatively untouched by major evolutionary changes for at least eight million years, with remarkably similar ancestors already hunting swamps alongside the dinosaurs.” Take note of the words “relatively untouched” and “major evolutionary changes” and “remarkably similar ancestors.”
Also, you are engaged in the fallacy of “special pleading” — thinking that one species would be exempted from the process of evolution.
Since the first species on the Earth, all subsequent species have been intermediate species in the process of evolution. This is even true of homo sapiens.
In addition, your explanation for no evolution is “God did it” which cannot be true since God does not exist. We have many proofs of this.
GW—You already provided some evidence in support of my assertion. You wrote:
“Alligators are often called ‘living fossils’, relatively untouched by major evolutionary changes for at least eight million years, with remarkably similar ancestors already hunting swamps alongside the dinosaurs.” Take note of the words “relatively untouched” and “major evolutionary changes” and “remarkably similar ancestors.”
BA—That quote is from an evolutionary source for the purpose of showing alligators have existed for 8 million years, and the BBC article shows they have not any evolutionary changes for 8 million years.
Thus, no evolution.
Read the quote again. You are not sufficient attention to the subtleties of the quote, especially the words I pointed out to you. The quote does not support your assertion “no evolution” and actually supports mine. The alligator has evolved, but only slightly over eight million years. However, evolution occurred before and is occurring after there was a species which could be identified as “alligator.”
FYI:
“Alligators are often called “living fossils”, relatively untouched by major evolutionary changes for at least eight million years, with remarkably similar ancestors already hunting swamps alongside the dinosaurs”
Yes, “relatively untouched by major evolutionary changes,” but touched nevertheless, changed in small ways by evolution. “With remarkably similar ancestors,” but ancestors still different, different because of evolution.
The alligator is certainly evidence for evolution, not against it. Evolution is a fact. Special creation by God is a falsehood. Why? Because God does not exist. We have many proofs of this. I have presented at least two to you, and you found no errors in either one.
GW—The alligator is certainly evidence for evolution, not against it. Evolution is a fact.
BA—No, sir! You need to examine the facts.
Evolutionists commonly assert that evolution goes too slowly for us to see it happening today because its not observable. They used to claim that the real evidence for evolution was in the fossil record of the past, but the fact is that the billions of known fossils do not include a single unequivocal transitional form with transitional structures in the process of evolving.
Thus, zero evidence!
BA: No, sir! You need to examine the facts.
GW: No, co-managers, you need to examine the facts!
BA: Evolutionists commonly assert that evolution goes too slowly for us to see it happening today because its not observable.
GW: Sometimes evolution proceeds at a rate which enables us to see it within our lifetimes. Look at viruses and bacteria for example. Look at moths. But evolution sometimes proceeds too slowly for us to see it directly within our lifetimes, e.g. from fish to amphibians, but in these instances we have plenty of evidence.
BA: They used to claim that the real evidence for evolution was in the fossil record of the past,…
GW: The fossil record is part of the real evidence for evolution, and there are other kinds of evidence for it also.
BA: but the fact is that the billions of known fossils do not include a single unequivocal transitional form with transitional structures in the process of evolving.
Thus, zero evidence!
GW: This is a false statement, either a lie or a delusion, I don’t know which. But here is an entire article which refutes your claim:
Transitional Fossils Are Not Rare. National Center for Science Education. September 25, 2008.
https://ncse.ngo/transitional-fossils-are-not-rare
GW: I have recommended several good books on evolution to you in the past, and you refuse to read them. I will buy and send you one of them, if you promise to read it, study it, and then discuss it with me.
GW: 1. The Bible advocates for special creation of species by God. 2. Evolution is true and contradicts special creation of species by God. 3. Therefore, either the Bible is not the Word of God or God does not exist or both. It is actually both.