Circle of life: Gator eats another gator

15 Apr, 2016 01:00

A man who, most likely, never expected that his day would involve reptilian cannibalism has captured video footage of an alligator eating another alligator. More graphic footage was also captured by other onlookers.

Alex Figueroa left his house to go for a walk and maybe take some pictures of osprey. Then he saw this:

More footage was captured by Octavia Heart.

A massive alligator that Figueroa estimated to have been between 11 and 12 feet was seen chomping on a smaller alligator. Although as a society we tend to frown upon cannibalism, alligators do not play by our rules.

Researches from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission explained that the gator-eat-gator world we live in was created as means of population control. The researchers estimate that about 6 to 7 percent of juvenile gators end up in the bellies of larger alligators.