Alligator, over three meters long, captured on film attacking a giant python.
A remarkable incident unfolded in Florida's Everglades National Park, as a sheriff's deputy managed to remove an alligator from a pool using his bare hands. The alligator, estimated to be around 2.7 meters long, had attempted to swallow a python, but the reptile was too large and the attempt failed.
The incident, which took place in the U.S., did not result in any known injuries to the sheriff's deputy. After the failed attempt, the alligator swam away, possibly due to fear that the woman who had witnessed the incident, photographer Alison Joslyn, might try to take the python.
The exact location of the pool where the alligator was pulled out is not specified. The python that the alligator attempted to eat was approximately 2.1 meters long. The sheriff's deputy did not mention any interaction with other wildlife during the incident.
This incident, although not involving a failed attempt to eat a python as initially reported, adds to the series of unusual predator-prey encounters in the Everglades National Park. The park, home to a diverse array of wildlife, has seen instances of native predators engaging with invasive species in unexpected ways.
For instance, wildlife cameras near Naples, Florida, have captured an American bobcat preying on an invasive Burmese python. This is significant because Burmese pythons, with few natural predators aside from humans, have severely impacted native species populations in the Everglades.
Another notable encounter includes alligators dragging Burmese pythons through the water, demonstrating alligators prey on or scavenge these large invasive snakes. American crocodiles, apex predators in the Everglades, have also been seen preying on various animals, including occasionally taking on other crocodiles.
These instances highlight ongoing ecological pressures in the Everglades where native predators sometimes engage with invasive species like the Burmese python in unexpected ways, reflecting the complex and shifting predator-prey dynamics in the park. The incident involving the sheriff's deputy and the alligator is a testament to the unpredictable nature of these interactions.
[1] Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-48588-1 [2] Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-15428-4 [4] Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5657372/
