Alligators

Alligators are the star wildlife of GTA VI’s official material. Trailer 1 shows them twice: one calmly walks into a convenience store and another turns up in a backyard pool, two direct nods to “Florida Man” headlines.

Their natural habitat in the game is the Grassrivers, Leonida’s great inland swamp, but the official material makes it clear they do not stay there: they are part of the state’s everyday scenery.

Rockstar has not detailed how the player will interact with wildlife, so any specific mechanics belong to the theories section for now.

Where they live, according to Game Informer

Game Informer’s feature describes Grassrivers, the state’s great wetland, as a biodiverse expanse full of reptilian predators and country folk of “questionable friendliness and probably armed”, heir to the Everglades. It is the alligators’ natural habitat, although trailer 1 also showed them in a store and a pool.

Part of a much bigger wildlife list

Alligators are one species among more than 170 species Rockstar wants to reproduce faithfully: more than 60 kinds of birds, more than 30 land mammals, plus reptiles and sea creatures, with manatees, flamingos and pelicans confirmed. Michael Kane, vice president of dynamic art, said they wanted to include Florida’s ecosystem “faithfully” in each biome.

What we don’t know

As in Red Dead Redemption 2, some animals will fall into categories like Rare, Discoverable and Legendary, but Rockstar is keeping which ones secret. It has not said whether the alligator will be an active threat, a hunting target or just scenery.