Fish and Reptiles top Alligator Prey Items on iNaturalist
In his 1935 book titled The Alligator's Life History, E.A. McIlhenny (of the Tabasco family) wrote, "It is quite safe to say that the food of the alligator at some period of its life, consists of every living thing coming in range of its jaws that flies, walks, swims, or crawls that is small enough for them to kill, and covers a tremendously wide range. After they reach three feet in length and larger, any creature inhabiting the land or water which they can catch and swallow is good food." This is no doubt a true statement!

© Photographer: William Wise

On November 19, 2020, I finished a review of over 19,000 American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) observations uploaded to iNaturalist between April 5, 2009 and November 19, 2020. Observations which depicted an American Alligator eating a prey item were annotated and added to the iNat Alligator Appetites Project. The result revealed a gruesome smorgasbord of dainties enjoyed by this giant reptile.

© Photographer: Scott Buckel | iNat Observation: 2462188

A review of the 107 observations added to the project to date, fish and reptiles nearly tied for the top prey items, with birds and mammals nearly tying in second place. A breakdown is as follows:

• Fish 26.1% (28 observations)
• Reptiles 25.2% (27 observations – 19 turtles, 4 alligators and 3 snakes)
• Birds 14.9% (16 observations - 4 Great Egrets, 2 Gallinules, 1 Red-winged Blackbird, 8 unknown bird species)
• Mammals 14.0% (15 observations – 4 feral pigs, 4 nutria, 3 raccoon, 1 deer, 1 opossum, 2 unknown mammal species)
• Unknown Prey 10.2% (11 observations with unidentifiable prey)
• Human handouts 7.4% (8 observations - raw chicken, marshmallows, fishing lures etc.)
• Other 1.8% (2 observations - 1 crab, 1 frog)