Crittercams have been attached to everything from dolphins to birds. However, a group of researchers recently attached cameras on a pack of alligators in the swamps of Florida. What the researchers saw could very well shed light on the mysterious feeding habits of these large reptiles.
A team of biologists from the University of Florida attached cameras to the backs of 15 alligators using a catch and release method. Footage from the cameras show what a day in the life of an alligator is really like. Aside from gaining valuable information on feeding habits, the researchers were also able to collect data on alligator behavior. The footage showed that the alligators liked to hang out during specific times of the day as well as how alligators really hunted in the wild.
The team from the University of Florida, whose school mascot also happens to be an alligator, say that the reptiles may be more intelligent than what was previously thought. These cold-blooded animals have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. While a lot of data is readily available on alligators raised in captivity, scientists actually know little about their behavior in the wild. This is primarily due to the fact that alligators often like to move around in areas that are normally difficult to access, such as swamps and marshlands. The results of the study were published in the online journal PLOS ONE.
Biologists have always had some knowledge about alligator diets and local distributions. However, the cameras revealed some new and interesting facts about the alligators that roam around in their natural habitats away from the prying eyes of scientists. The cameras showed that alligators are mostly sedentary animals, lying in the water for about 41 percent of the time, and 37 percent of the time, the alligators simply lie underneath the water's surface without moving. And, when the alligators weren't lounging around, they either proceeded to the nearest shore to indulge in a sunbath, swim around in the water or hunt for prey.
The cameras also showed that the alligators are very efficient predators. When they do hunt for prey, alligators have a success rate of over 50 percent, which is a lot better than most predators in the wild. The cameras attached to the alligators recorded footage of a total of 59 alligators preying on animals. Of the 59 recorded attacks, the alligators were successful in capturing their prey 31 times.
Aside from boasting of high success rate during hunts, the alligators also apparently hunt often. In fact, one of the alligators in the study made 18 attempts to attack its prey in a single hour. Alligator hunting habits include either a quick snap of powerful jaws or a direct strike straight to an animal's head. The footage also showed that alligators are better at hunting underwater. However, these large reptiles like going to the surface to eat once their prey has safely been disabled or killed.
