Gator Devours Reptile: Raw Power of Nature Unleashed in Florida Wetlands

A visitor to the Orlando Wetlands Park recently captured a series of unusual images showing an adult alligator seemingly consuming a smaller reptile. Barbara D’Angelo, a retired resident who splits her time between Florida and Michigan, was the one who managed to photograph this peculiar wildlife encounter on March 6.

“I was looking westerly when I heard a splash behind me and saw a large alligator with something large in his mouth,” D’Angelo shared with Fox News Digital. “I thought it was a duck at first because they are mostly dark.”

D’Angelo is no stranger to the wetlands and its inhabitants, often visiting the area for bird watching. However, this was the first time she managed to document an alligator feasting on another reptile.

“I was shaking through all of this but [I] was up on the roadway a good distance and felt safe enough,” D’Angelo, a Miami native, explained. “I pass at least 10 to 15 alligators as I walk a nature trail through the wetlands. They are everywhere.”

She further described the usual behavior of these reptiles, “Usually, they are just sleeping on the shoreline. Alligators are very temperature oriented. When they need to cool down, they will crawl out of the water and just sleep right there. This evening, [it] was not a sleeping alligator.”

D’Angelo shared the images of her encounter on a public Facebook group dedicated to the Orlando Wetlands Park. The entire incident, she said, lasted about two minutes.

“I was leaving the wetlands as it was late, and I caught this interaction,” D’Angelo wrote in her Facebook post on March 12. “I thought it was an alligator eating another alligator,” she added.

However, after sharing her experience, some suggested that the prey might have been a tegu lizard, not a smaller alligator. “Since I never saw the head of this victim, I can’t be so sure,” D’Angelo admitted.

In a subsequent post on March 15, D’Angelo revealed that she managed to take about 35 photos of the encounter, although some were “blurry” and “muddy.”

“I watched as this gator had his prey in his mouth and slammed the remaining body and tail like a whip. This he did at least three times,” D’Angelo recounted. “I’m trying to show the less violent shots. The last one is how I left the scene. His victim was folded in thirds. If you can see the gator’s eyes clearly, he had his eye on me the whole time!”

D’Angelo’s posts garnered significant attention on Facebook, sparking a debate among users about whether the alligator’s meal was indeed another alligator or a tegu lizard, an invasive species native to Argentina.

“We’ve seen that happen at the wetlands before — gator eating another gator,” one Facebook user commented. “It’s crazy — some said it was probably a territorial dispute.” Another user suggested it might be a monitor lizard.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) notes that adult alligators, especially those over nine feet in length, are known to consume alligator eggs, juvenile alligators, subadult alligators, and smaller adult alligators.

“Alligators are opportunistic feeders,” the FWC stated on their Alligator Facts profile webpage. “Their diets include prey species that are abundant and easily accessible.” This incident, as captured by D’Angelo, certainly seems to reinforce this fact.

Our Thoughts

The wild is indeed a fascinating place, as Barbara D’Angelo’s experience in the Orlando Wetlands Park attests. As survivalists, we understand the concept of survival of the fittest, and this alligator’s behavior is a stark reminder of that harsh reality.

Alligators are known to be opportunistic feeders, and this encounter, as unsettling as it may be, is a testament to this fact. It underscores the importance of understanding the behavior and habits of wildlife, especially for those of us who spend significant time in their habitats.

D’Angelo’s encounter also highlights the importance of staying alert and maintaining a safe distance when observing wildlife. Her experience serves as a reminder that nature is unpredictable and, at times, brutal.

Finally, the debate sparked by D’Angelo’s posts underscores the importance of citizen science. Even in the face of uncertainty, every piece of information contributes to our understanding of the natural world.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Source