Florida: American Alligator Vs. Burmese Python?

[WingedWolfPsion]

None of the above.

Burms eat mainly mammals and birds. Alligators eat mainly fish and turtles--a point people tend to forget. Burms do not hunt in the water, usually--Alligators do. While burms would probably take some gators, more gators will eat burms--they'll make a nice food source for the gators, because they're not very fast on land OR water.

The alligator is supremely adapted to the Everglades, and it already eats snakes, albeit smaller ones. Because they are not direct competitors, but are fully capable of preying on each other, I see no reason why they won't both 'win'.

[Derrick13]

Thats a very good point

[Lucas339]

None of the above.

Burms eat mainly mammals and birds. Alligators eat mainly fish and turtles--a point people tend to forget. Burms do not hunt in the water, usually--Alligators do. While burms would probably take some gators, more gators will eat burms--they'll make a nice food source for the gators, because they're not very fast on land OR water.

The alligator is supremely adapted to the Everglades, and it already eats snakes, albeit smaller ones. Because they are not direct competitors, but are fully capable of preying on each other, I see no reason why they won't both 'win'.

most of the burm sightings have been burms at the edge of the water or within the water. i have no doubt that they are sharing the same habitat. both animals will eat ANYTHING smaller than them. both are opportunistic hunters.

again people do your research before you comment! here is a disdribution map of invsavies. scroll down to the bottom and look at the recent sightings. (http://www.evergladescisma.org/distribution)

if you look more into it, the scientist that are working on the burm problem are saying that they hoped they gators would be eating more burms but this is not the case.

[Brewster320]

I think something else people forget is that were burms come from there may not be any alligators but there are many mugger crocodiles(and even some salties). Yes they are larger and faster then alligators but the mugger probably has the most in common with alligators then any other crocodiles. And burms have not taken over and wiped out the crocs, not even close. What would make this any different? Especially considering a large snake may only each 8 times a year in the wild, it would a lot less damage then an introduced mammal predator of similar size and prey choice.

Also I see a lot of people saying stuff like a 20ft burm can eat alligator because its bigger. Well in the animal kingdom length means crap, its all about who weighs more. A 20ft python can weight 300 pounds, well so can and 8ft alligator. Larger alligators are known to weigh as much as half a ton(500+ is more common)! Even if the burms in the glades grow to monster sizes they will still only be able to prey on smaller alligators and they themselves would be fair game for a predator that can weigh twice as much as an adult tiger!

Thats why I vote Alligator!

[Brewster320]

if you look more into it, the scientist that are working on the burm problem are saying that they hoped they gators would be eating more burms but this is not the case.

Well maybe if people stoped killing off all the large 10-15ft gators they would have more monster gators eating monster snakes! If people were to disapear I feel that the ecosystem would right it's self to some degree. There'd be more and larger gators, more florida panthers, red wolves, more monster american crocs, more black bears, and less burms because of all the competition and predaton.

[Lucas339]

Well maybe if people stoped killing off all the large 10-15ft gators they would have more monster gators eating monster snakes! If people were to disapear I feel that the ecosystem would right it's self to some degree. There'd be more and larger gators, more florida panthers, red wolves, more monster american crocs, more black bears, and less burms because of all the competition and predaton.

the everglades national park is a strict no hunt, no take zone without speical permiting. most permits are for scientific research and usually those do not include killing alligators. get for facts straight!

alligator hunting season for the rest of florida is short and a special permit is required in limited numbers.

[xXxFluffyEmoxXx]

Neither. Man will get land hungry and eventually take over the glades.

[Lucas339]

Neither. Man will get land hungry and eventually take over the glades.

is that why the florida government just bought 73,000 acres of land from sugar and orange farmers in the everglades to restore it back to what it was with an option to purchase another 107,000 acres when florida's economy boosts back up.

you guys really need to stop putting your feet in your mouths over this. this is an area that most of you have no clue of what is actually going on. if you are going to make outlandish claims, at least try and research them!!!

[redpython]

even if they restore it it will never be what it was. "restoring" and "upkeeping" will be at the hand of man.

that farm land has become another man managed land...not natural.

is that why the florida government just bought 73,000 acres of land from sugar and orange farmers in the everglades to restore it back to what it was with an option to purchase another 107,000 acres when florida's economy boosts back up.

you guys really need to stop putting your feet in your mouths over this. this is an area that most of you have no clue of what is actually going on. if you are going to make outlandish claims, at least try and research them!!!