ABSTRACT
In the southern half of the U. S. state of Louisiana, the American alligator is the king of the swamp landscape. This chapter discusses the unique and sometimes contradictory roles that alligators have played in the production of South Louisiana tourism. It suggests that the production of tourism effectively blurs the significant roles humans play in manufacturing the "wild" alligator. Perceptions of alligators have changed over time in this region, but in the context of tourism, alligators are reified as wild and exotic beasts to suit visitors' expectations. Owever, the maintenance of these tourist–alligator encounters depends on a globalized commodification of alligator bodies for the exotic leather trade and leaves an uneven economic impact in the swamp. To grasp the complexities of tourism–alligator relations, the reader must understand the environmental history of alligators in Louisiana. The industrial character of alligator production relies on spatial separations to maintain the mystique of the creature ahead of the globalized network that upholds its exchange value.
