Attempts at semen collection from the live alligator have been moderately successful, but have not produced spermatozoa in numbers sufficient for extensive investigations of semen preservation or artificial insemination. Electroejaculation and administration of oxytocin or testosterone have not made possible the collection of significantly more sperm cells than would be available by simple aspiration of the penile groove in the untreated male. To increase the numbers of spermatozoa available for ongoing investigations in artificial insemination, semen was collected by dissection of the vas deferens from the peritoneal surface of alligator carcasses following the skinning and demeating of the animal for commercial sale of these products. The success of semen collection by harvesting sperm cells from the vas deferens was dependent upon environmental temperature during the weeks immediately preceding the attempt. Nine-foot (3M) alligators kept in outdoor ponds at 32 degrees latitude had initiated spermatogenesis by the middle of April but did not have mature sperm cells in the vas deferens which were capable of motility. The sperm cells in the penile groove of these animals were morphologically abnormal, immotile, and in low concentration. A six foot (2M) alligator kept in a warmed environment through the winter was utilized in mid-April as a source of sperm cells from the vas deferens. Total cells recovered were 1.575 x 10⁹. Motility in BES TRIS-YOLK was 75% after 6 days at 5C°. The size of the male influences the total number of spermatozoa available for collection from either vas deferens or penile groove. Two alligators in excess of 11 (3.7M) feet were utilized for semen collection in the second week of May, 1981. They were residents of a central Florida lake at approximately 29 degrees latitude. Total sperm cells collected from the groove were 1.8 x 10⁹ and 8.6 x 10⁹ being collected from the vas deferens in the respective animals.

Four groups of 4 female alligators each were treated 3, 6 and 10 April 81 for follicle stimulation and treated for ovulation on May 13, 1981 as follows: (1) GnRH (200 g) stimulation, GnRH (400 g) ovulation; (2) GnRH (200 g) progesterone (40 mg) stimulation, LH (5 mg PLH) ovulation; (3) PMSG, (1000 units) stimulation, PMSG (1250 units) ovulation; (4) Control. Development of follicles was assessed by ultrasonic imaging 15 May 81 with 1 animal (Group I), 3 animals (Group 3) and 1 control having follicles 3 cm diameter.  All females were inseminated with semen diluted in BES-TRIS-Yolk on 13, 15, and 17 May '81 with 20, 300, and 125 x 10⁶ sperm cells on the respective dates. One female, the control, laid 26 eggs, 13 of which were fertile. Successful hatch of 11 eggs occurred after 60 days of artifically controlled incubation at 31C°.