Florida: American Alligator Vs. Burmese Python?

[knott00]

Populations of wild animals tend to limit themselves and plateau once they reach a certain level so that they don't eat all of their prey and then the whole species starves. Honestly, I don't think its as big of a deal as people say it is. Sure, something should be done to get these snakes under control, but I'm not worried about the wild population of animals.

Both snakes and gaters are ambush preditors, whoever strikes first would be the winner in that scenario. A snake would be no match for a gator's teeth and massive jaw pressure, and a gator would be no match for a burm's squeeze. Both animals have the ability to sit still for long periods of time and wait for their next meal.

I honestly think that this one picture of a burm "eating" a gator proves only that its possible, not that it is a common occurrence.

[guambomb832]

Although I voted for the Burmese, I think the Alligators might win. But the problem is that there a lot of big alligators in the Everglades already, and since burms just started living in there about 20 years ago, there is not going to be a lot of those monster sized burms, they are usually in the 5-9 feet range. The only way a burmese could win against an alligator is that the alligator is young and the burm is really big or if attacks the alligator before the alligator attacks it, but is then most likely the alligator will win.

[Lucas339]

Populations of wild animals tend to limit themselves and plateau once they reach a certain level so that they don't eat all of their prey and then the whole species starves. Honestly, I don't think its as big of a deal as people say it is. Sure, something should be done to get these snakes under control, but I'm not worried about the wild population of animals.

this only works with natural populations. not populations with a introduced predator.

Both snakes and gaters are ambush preditors, whoever strikes first would be the winner in that scenario. A snake would be no match for a gator's teeth and massive jaw pressure, and a gator would be no match for a burm's squeeze. Both animals have the ability to sit still for long periods of time and wait for their next meal.

the poll is who will own the everglades. not who will eat who.

[TimmyG]

Yes, this is about domination by numbers not one off senarios. I suspect after being reminded of some information I learned in Biology 1013 that the winner will be what ever species can carve out its own niche that the other can not move in on. In this circumstance I would say the Burm Would win becuase it can climb into trees and hunt effectivly on land. Alligators, on the otherhand, can hang out on land and not be bothered but wont get fed that way either.

[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.