Cannibal Gator Snacking On Smaller Gator Caught On Camera In ... - Patch
ORLANDO, FL — A Florida photographer recently snapped the photos of a lifetime at Orlando Wetlands Park when she stumbled upon a large alligator casually snacking on what appears to be a smaller gator.
Barbara D'Angelo, who shared her images to a Facebook group for wildlife photos from the park, said she snapped the photos as she was leaving the wetlands later in the day on March 6.
"I watched as the larger gator raised his head (three) times and slammed his catch in such a way as to fold it up like an old-time folding chair," she told Patch.
She took about 35 photos in the series.
Related Stories:
Alligators are opportunistic feeders and tend to go for prey species that are abundant and easily accessible, according to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Younger gators primarily eat insects, amphibians, small fish and other invertebrates, the agency said. Adult gators generally go for rough fish, snakes, turtles, small mammals and birds.
As for cannibalistic gators? It's not unheard of. A 2011 study found that between 6 and 7 percent of young gators are eaten by adults, according to Live Science.
"Gators are very opportunistic and will eat whatever they can find; anything that can fit down their throat is food," Christopher Brochu, a professor at the University of Iowa who studies crocodilians, told National Geographic.
While mothers tend to guard alligator hatchlings, as they grow, they're left to fend for themselves, he said. During mating season, which runs from March to June, older, larger male gators tend to be more aggressive and territorial with others of its species.
Gators become sexually mature by the time they're about 7 feet long, according to the FWC, though female gators can reach maturity when they're about 6 feet long.
It takes about a decade for them to grow to these sizes — females about 10 to 15 years, and males, eight to 12 years, the agency said.
During the mating season, courtship usually begins in early April, with mating taking place in May and June. Female gators build their mound nests and lay anywhere from 32 to 46 eggs in late June or early July. These eggs hatch from mid-August to early September, FWC said.
Initially, there was some question about exactly what the larger gator in D'Angelo's photos were munching on.
"I thought it was an alligator eating another alligator," she wrote in her Facebook post. "After posting on another site, someone thought it might be a tegu lizard. Since I never saw the head of this victim, I can't be so sure."
But most commenters chimed in to say they were sure it was a small gator in the large predator's mouth.
"Gator-on-gator action," one commenter wrote.
Another wrote, "Wrong belly for a tegu."
"Agree with the others that it's an alligator, a younger one that still has stripes," another person wrote. "The feet are right for an alligator, different from tegu feet."
Argentine black and white tegus are an invasive species that isn't native to Florida, according to the FWC. These omnivores are known to eat eggs and have been documented consuming alligator eggs.
When D'Angelo retired seven years ago, her husband bought her a zoom lens for her camera.
Ever since, "I've been walking shorelines almost every day," she said.
In addition to the cannibal gator, she's witnessed other amazing wildlife moments, catching them on camera, over the years.
"I also have photos of a great blue heron eating a baby alligator. I have photos of baby alligators crawling on mama's back," D'Angelo said.
Comments
Post a Comment