ANIMAL LIFE (AND .... ) IN THE EVERGLADES

FOR OUR WORLD  and NATURE NOTES

The light made this one look a pretty blue, but often when we see alligators they look like nothing so much as discarded pieces of tire tread.  In fact, most of the time they're sleeping in the sun. So they're usually not frightening (and we're always looking  from a safe viewpoint).    We find these creatures -- unchanged over the course of eons -- fascinating but we never forget that they are wild -- and we are visiting their home (instead of the other-way-round).  

Over the years, we've seen hundreds of 'gators both here in Florida and on the Texas Gulf Coast -- we've seen them sleeping and seen them walking, seen and heard them during mating season, seen them with babies in the nest (they are tender and protective parents).  But until this month, we'd never seen one eating.  Ever.  But on our recent trip to the Everglades, we saw this one demolishing his lunch (an unfortunate soft-shelled Florida turtle).  

Everybody watching felt like shedding a tear for the poor turtle.  Here's a picture of a living one. (This one isn't mine -- it's from Wikipedia.) 

It makes you stop and think about our attitude to the way the world works -- to the food chain.  When we see pictures of (say) a lovely blue heron with a fish in its beak, we ooh and aaah.  We don't really feel too bad for the fish.  (And of course if you want to carry it further, think about other meat eaters, including most of us.)     

Nobody really loves to think about how an alligator staves off starvation.  

But it's all part of the way nature works.   The basic necessities are the same for every living creature.    

 

Comments

[soho stitch]

Mmmm yes - that is the one thing I struggle with in nature - and not just the food chain aspect but the whole mercilessness of it. As a result I gave up eating meat a long time ago and although I eat eggs and dairy I make every effort to source ethically and humanely farmed animals.

[Annie]

You are so right ! Beautiful animals seem always charming and peaceful, less beautiful others, rude and cruel.

[nature rambles]

That's right. A treat to see the alligator in your photos!

[Carver]

Amazing shots of the alligators.

[Libby]

Wow! Good shots!! He's a big one :) I have seen a lot of alligators (lived in Tampa 25 years) but they were never DOING anything but lying around - so it is very cool you got an action shot.

[missing moments]

The food chain is fascinating and I always feel bad for the one being eaten. But all need to eat. Great photos!

[Hootin' Anni]

Creepy, terrifying........yet so cool being something that has been around for centuries!!! GREAT photos. And, I LOVE your collage in the post directly below this...just gorgeous images.

Hope your week will treat you kindly!!!

[genie]

Every time I see “Everglades” you know what I think....mosquitoes. I am so bad. You must forgive me. I am scared to death of alligators and seeing it with the turtle is hard to accept thought it is nature doing its job. I would rather it be the turtle rather tan a person’s leg. Hope all is well down there. It is Florida HOT here in VA right now. Only 6 more days of school and then holiday. I cannot wait. genie

[pat]

Granny used to say that animals only have two things to worry about. Finding food and not becoming food...
At one time, that also applied to us!

[HAZEL]

Fascinating to see, I have only seen these in a zoo....

[Francisca]

My brother used to quip, "Fishing wouldn't be half as much fun if fish could scream." Much the same way, we don't give much thought to the killing that goes on to put food on our tables. Here in China the awareness is a bit closer to home since people buy live chickens and such in the markets and kill their own meals. (No, not us.) On a different tangent, my grandmother once woke up on a beach (in Indonesia where she lived) with a snoozing gator beside her. She lived to tell the story.

[TexWisGirl]

we see a lot of 'nature' taking place here (some, thanks to our dogs). pretty amazing sight, though.

[Nancy]

It's never easy to see the helpless being eaten by something bigger and badder than themselves... but it is the way of the world, I suppose. Great shots.

[Stewart M - Australia]

Splendid post! We can’t have big predators unless they eat things - that’s the way of the world.

Stewart M.

PS: there's a new post on my "other blog" if you have some time to spare!

[Rita aka Cashjocky]

My first thought was that the gator was trying to eat a child's lost baby doll. Even looked like it had a ribbon around its neck. I had to blow up the shot to see I was mistaken.

Wonderful captures.

[Gattina]

That must be different to see a crocodile just laying there in the nature than in a zoo. I have seen them only there, and never watched a feeding time. Poor turtle, but that's life !

[Hildred]

Wonderful shot, Sallie, - and a touch of reality.

[Gaelyn]

That was a fortunate sighting.

The circle of life is all about eat or be eaten for sure.

[Joe Todd]

Great shots Sallie.. Pretty warm back here in Ohio.. I've got critters wanting to eat my garden LOL

[Dimple]

So true, Sallie. We like our meat, most of us, and don't think too much about where it comes from. Seeing your picture reminds us.

[Penny]

Sometimes hard to see nature take its course, but, I try to remember that it is only man that hunts for sport and not just for food or protection.

[Rambling Woods]

and one reason I gave up meat...

[Prem]

We all know it's part of nature but uggghhh... I've already come to terms of what is. This is the most pitiful I've seen so far.

[Carol Carson]

I'm vegan and have long struggled with the hard reality of nature's food chain. Even fish elicit my sympathy. LOL I began bird-watching only a few years ago, first discovering an osprey pair raising a chick and then learning about a couple of local Bald Eagle pairs, each with two chicks in the nest. I had romanticized the strong and free image of these raptors but had to come to terms with their need to hunt and kill for survival. The herons that I enjoy so much have their nests regularly raided by Bald Eagles. Eggs and even chicks are carried off and it is painful to see. However, I've come a long way, and finally "get" that the true picture of nature is not always pretty. All this to say that I found your photos and commentary about the alligators fascinating.

[Colin Huggins]

Wow!!!! Just the right size for taking home as a house pet! (joke joke!). You certainly would not be burgled with that bloke on your deck or in the yard!

Well, an "alligator" has to eat and after all we also eat turtles and sip turtle soup. What's the difference??

Also seeing that photo should be a warning to people to obey signs - "Do not enter the water - Alligators or in our case crocodiles". If you do, then you do the "underwater waltz or if you like the rock and roll of death and bingo you disappear"!! The 'gator or croc. emerges with that smile of satisfaction on his/her face - yummy, yummy.
Remarkable photo, many thanks.
Cheers
Colin (Brisbane. Australia)
Weather report: Last couple of mornings have been temperatures way below the average. Today bright and sunny.
Canberra: Well technically freezing in the morning, below zero celsius. However, in one part, the temperature is at boiling point, and getting hotter - serves them right!

[Eileen]

Sallie, your gator is cool and it is neat that you were able to see it eating. It is nature and all living creatures need to eat. Great capture!

[Al]

I remember seeing an alligator when I was in the Everglades back in the '80s - you can keep them. But these are certainly fascinating photos!

[Sylvia Kirkwood]

Terrific captures, Sallie, and, yes, lunch is lunch and gators do have to eat, too, but it still makes my flesh crawl just a tad! Hope you're enjoying a lovely Memorial Day!

Sylvia

[Randi]

Wow...amazing shots!

[Ed]

Great shots, lunch is lunch...Gators got to eat too..:-)

[aka Penelope]

Yes … there are two aspects to nature and humanity. The nurturing and cruel facets reside side-by-side in our society, which tends to be quite selective with its compassion. Seeing this creatures always makes me think of prehistoric times. It would be highly unusual, though, to see one in my neck of the woods!

[Boom & Gary]

Great shots !! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.