American Alligator Food Habits in Northcentral Florida

Abstract

Stomachs from 350 American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) collected in conjunction with 1981-83 experimental harvests on 3 lakes in northcentral Florida were examined for food habits. Common invertebrate foods of subadult alligators were giant water bugs (Belostoma spp.), apple snails (Pomacea paludosa), and crayfish (Procambarus penninsulatus); common terrestrial foods were round-tailed muskrats (Neofiber alleni) and marsh rabbits (Sylvilagus palustris). Larger size classes primarily consumed Florida red-bellied turtles (Pseudemys nelsoni), peninsular cooters (P. floridana), stinkpots (Sternotherus odoratus), gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), and Florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus). When compared by sex female alligators consumed significantly (P = 0.04) more mammals. Reptiles (turtles) were more important (P = 0.04) in the diet of male alligators. No differences (P > 0.05) were apparent in diets between study area lakes. Alligators in Florida consumed more fish and turtles but fewer mammals than in other parts of their range. Alligator marking tags recovered from 5% of the sample suggest some juvenile mortality may be attributable to cannibalism. Fish and amphibians are probably under-represented in the sample, and turtles, snails, crayfish, birds, and mammals may be overemphasized because of differential digestion rates. Diverse wetland habitat may benefit alligators by providing a variety of foods for different size classes. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 50(2):348-353 Carcasses collected during experimental alligator hunts in Florida provided an opportunity to conduct stomach analysis and determine the role of the alligator in Florida wetlands. Because diet influences alligator growth rate, condition, and reproduction (Chabreck 1972, McNease and Joanen 1981) food habits information may be helpful in evaluating the relationship between alligators and their management in Florida. Previous studies in Florida are limited to 36 juvenile specimens (Fogarty and Albury 1968), part (11 specimens) of a regional sample (Kellog 1929), and a report on the stomach contents of a road-killed alligator (Kinsella 1982). This paper describes the late summerearly autumn diet of alligators in northcentral Florida and relates food habits to alligator size, sex, condition, location, study year, and diges-