I want my dinner, and make it snappy! Unlucky fish jumps straight into the mouth of hungry alligator

By EMMA CLARK

It was an easy dinner for the alligator who could no doubt believe his luck when the Florida gar fish flew through the air directly into his mouth

When it comes to fast food in the animal world, it can't come much quicker and easier than it did for this smug alligator.
While it was certainly fortunate timing for crafty predator, it was the last, and most unlucky, moment for the Florida gar fish who unwittingly jumped straight into the alligator's jaws.
The incredible moment was snapped by wildlife photographer Marina Scarr in Florida, America, during a summer heatwave.

The perfect catch! There's no hope for the fish who falls flat on the alligator's tongue between a sharp rows of teeth

The great pictures show the needle fish jumping out of the Myakka River and into the alligator's open mouth who, after flipping it over, swallows it whole.
The fish stood little chance against the more than 70 alligators who had descended on the river when the water levels dropped during the drought in July last year.
Ms Scarr said: 'I photograph there a lot. A friend told me the river was extremely low and there were lots of alligators present and he said it would be a good time to take photographs.

The alligator flipped the fish over inside his jaws until it was in a comfortable position to swallow whole

'I went down right to the river edge waiting for the action. I was there for three days, spending eight hours a day waiting for something to happen.
'When the alligator got the fish he kept flipping and flipping it over until he got it in the right position to swallow it.
'That day we counted around 76 alligators in this particular spot. It was an area where the river had got really shallow because of the drought and the fish couldn't move.

Delicious! The unlucky fish slips down the throat of it's hungry predator

'It was unbelievable. I've never photographed anything like it before. The power of the gator was really something special. I felt lucky to capture the moment. It was spectacular.
'You have to keep cool when taking the photographs because you are so close.
'I wasn't worried I would get eaten but another time I had to jump up and run away.
'I'm really pleased with the results because I normally take pictures of birds and it was the first time I had done alligators.'
Female alligators rarely exceed 9 feet in length, but males can grow much larger.
The Florida state record for length is a 14 foot male and the record for weight is a 1,043 pound alligator, while Florida gar fish can reach over three feet long.

Satisfied, he slopes off along the river, might he might have to work a bit harder for his next catch

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Watch out for that water hazard! Alligator surprises pro golfers at PGA Championship

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

A true threat: An alligator made for an interesting water hazard on The Ocean Course in Kiawah, South Carolina

There was more than just a penalty stroke at stake for golfers who placed their ball in the water during a practice round at a North Carolina course in preparation for the PGA Championship.
A menacing alligator was spotted lurking in the waters at The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island on Wednesday.
Davis Love III even took a moment to eye up his crocodilian competition.

You stay there: Davis Love III comes close to the lingering alligator during his practice round on Wednesday

The amphibious threats aren’t the only obstacles facing the world’s best golfers at this year’s PGA Championship, as The Ocean Course is one of the few top clubs to use paspalum grass on their course.
They switched to seashore paspalum grass in 2003 because of upkeep problems caused by its next-door neighbor, the Atlantic Ocean.
'Paspalum is a grass that I'm not sure we've ever played a (PGA) Tour event on before,' Luke Donald said this week.
The world's Number 1 player better adjust in a hurry.
For all the talk of super-sized titanium drivers and long putters, the biggest factor in the year's final major might just be who successfully figures out the seaside layout's paspalum fairways and greens.
Count Rory McIlroy, the 2011 U.S. Open champion, among those with an edge.
Not only did he successfully spell paspalum during Wednesday's media session, he often plays on the surface at the The Bear's Club in Florida.
'So it's actually quite nice,' he said.
Even better, McIlroy said, is that paspalum has more grip and lets him freely fire at pins without worrying he'll roll too far past.

Troubling: No one was harmed by the alligator on Wednesday's round but they will certainly be around again this weekend when the PGA Championship is held at the course
'It just really grabs the ball. So you can be aggressive with your chip shots and definitely (be) aggressive with your wedge shots, too,' he said.
The course was built by Pete Dye for the 1991 Ryder Cup, but the Bermuda grass used then - while superfast and responsible for one of the most dramatic cup matches in history - could not withstand the waves and ocean spray that continually carried salt water onto the course and leeched into the irrigation system.
A heartier grass was essential if The Ocean Course hoped to re-build its championship credentials and club officials settled on seashore paspalum, a grass that withstood ocean elements.
For those seeking the Wanamaker Trophy this week, all that matters is playing the paspalum in as few strokes as possible.

Keep an eye out: The alligators and the world's top golfers will undoubtedly have some run ins this weekend

Tiger Woods practiced at The Ocean Course on July 31, the day after about two inches of rain fell. While conditions were soft and squishy, the four-time PGA champion didn't wind up with many mud balls in the fairway. He also found the greens solid and able to hold.
'Having paspalum greens is different,' Woods said. 'I've only played on paspalum greens one time. But they drain great. They are going to be firm.'
U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson says changing surfaces from course to course make it necessary to study a little agronomy along with your short game.
While the U.S. Open at The Olympic Club featured slick, glass-like greens, Simpson expects truer, slower rolls at The Ocean Course.

Looming dangers: In addition to the alligators, the Ocean Course uses a different type of grass than many other courses

'But at the same time, you can look too hard into it,' he said. 'So it's all a balance of trying to figure out the kind of in-between.'
Adam Scott, the British Open runner-up, said most professionals practice on courses with slower, paspalum greens and won't be that surprised by what they find on The Ocean Course.
'It's very consistent,' he said. 'So if you can adapt to it this week, there's no reason why you can't play well on it.'

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'You're not the only left-handed person in the family now': Brave teen jokes with his sister after having right arm bitten off by ALLIGATOR

Savaged: Kaleb Langdale, pictured before and after his ordeal with the alligator, lost his right arm after wrestling with the 11ft beast in Moore Haven, Florida

A teenager who was savaged by an alligator is on the road to recovery and even joking about his ordeal with friends and family - despite having his right arm ripped off.
Kaleb Langdale had been swimming in the Caloosahatchee River in Moore Haven, Florida, when he was attacked by the 11ft beast on Monday afternoon.
The 17-year-old thought he had swam away from the giant alligator, only for it to clamp on to his right arm - leaving the teenager with a choice of his life or his limb. Now after swimming to safety without part of his right arm, the brave teen has been recovering in hospital, where he has been in good spirits since his death-defying ordeal.
Brave Kaleb has even joked with his sister that now she 'won't be the only left-handed person in the family'.

Fearsome: The alligator, pictured after it was caught and killed, clamped its jaws onto Kaleb's right arm while he was swimming on Monday afternoon

The alligator terror began on Monday afternoon when Kaleb's friends spotted the huge beast near him and shouted.
Kaleb attempted to subdue the alligator by grabbing under its bottom jaw - a move he had apparently seen performed on TV - only to be dragged down by the creature.
The teenager surfaced and began to swim away when the alligator appeared calmer, only for it to lunge at his arm as he threw it behind him while swimming away.
His sister Rebecca told news-press.com: 'He knew he was losing (his arm), so he just took his feet, buried his feet in the alligator’s head and just pushed so that he could get it free,' Hayes said.
She added, 'If it would have grabbed his body ... he would have drowned.'

Caught: The 11-foot alligator that attacked Kaleb is pulled from the water after it was killed on Monday

The 17-year-old was attacked by the 11ft beast while swimming in the Caloosahatchee River in Moore Haven, Florida

'Once it popped loose, he just swam as hard and fast as he could to the dock, where some friends of his pulled him up.'
After Kaleb was rushed to hospital, emergency services made a desperate attempt to hunt the beast and recover Kaleb's right arm.
Unfortunately, despite finding the creature and killing it, the arm was in too bad a condition to be reattached to the teenager in hospital.



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Even a reptile thinks they're ugly! Hilarious photos show greedy alligator furiously chomping on rubbery CROC clog

By SNEJANA FARBEROV

Gator vs Croc: The reptile was spotted munching on the dark-green clog in South Carlina's Huntington Beach State Park

Croc clogs are an acquired taste – that is what a fashion-conscious alligator discovered after chewing on the aesthetically questionable footwear for half-an-hour before giving up on it.
Wildlife photographer Phil Lanoue was taking pictures in the salt marshes of Murrells Inlet in South Carolina’s Huntington Beach State Park when he spotted an unusual scene - an alligator vigorously masticating the aptly named shoe.
According to Lanoue, the reptile spent about 30 minutes trying to grind the rubbery dark-green Croc with its massive choppers before it was forced to admit defeat and spit it out.

Tenacious: The hungry alligator spent about 30 minutes trying to grind the rubbery footwear with its teeth

Feeding frenzy: The scaly predator likely thought the clog was food when it went after it

Lanoue, aged 58, lives near the salt marshes and said that he has often witnessed hungry alligators hunting for prey, but never like this, Metro has reported.
‘I was actually driving across the causeway when I spotted a small group of people all staring down toward the marsh,’ he said.

Dining scene: The Croc-chewing episode took place in the salt marshes of Murrells Inlet in South Carolina's Huntington Beach State Park

Lanoue spotted the gator chewing on something and stopped his car to take a closer look.
When one of the bystanders said the animal was munching on a shoe, the photographer grabbed his camera to capture the epic battle of beast vs footwear.
‘Naturally, when we found out it was a Croc shoe, everyone thought it was hilarious,’ he said.

Snap: The gator eventually admitted defeat after growing frustrated with the rubbery snack

Lanoue, who was just 20 feet away from the surreal scene, said eventually, the hungry reptile grew confused and frustrated by the rubber and left it alone.
‘I’ve seen alligators grab some interesting items before but certainly never anything like this,’ Lanoue said.

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He's behind you! Does this unsuspecting bobcat manage to escape the deadly jaws of this hungry alligator?

By JILL REILLY

Alligator approach: The predator slowly creeps out of the lake where it has been hidden, watching the bobcat

As the alligator silently crept up behind its prey, it looked like the unsuspecting bobcat was about to become his dinner.
Perched upright, the animal was looking everywhere, except at the deadly predator behind him on the edge of the lake in Tampa, Florida.
Suddenly with only seconds to spare, the bobcat spied the threat and sprung into action, sprinting up the edge of the bank.
Resident Bryan Peabody snapped the close call from behind a tree as he watched the hapless bobcat get approached by the hungry 10ft-long reptile.
'I was standing there absolutely breathless,' said Mr Peabody, who was praying the feline would escape the remarkable encounter unharmed.

Dinner time: As the alligator silently crept up behind its prey, it looked like the unsuspecting feline was about to become this alligator's next meal

Oblivious: It was only when the alligator was about to pounce that the bobcat realised he was under threat

Alligators feed mainly on fish, turtles, snakes, and small mammals.
However, they are opportunists, and a hungry gator will eat just about anything, including carrion, pets and, in rare instances, humans.

Safe: Suddenly with only seconds to spare, the bobcat spied the threat and leapt into action, sprinting up the edge of the bank

Can't catch me: The bobcat looks behind smugly as the alligator is defeated

Back to square one: The alligator was left hungry on the edge of the grassy bank

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Let's hope he doesn't see red! Scarlet butterfly rests on toothy cayman's nose

By NATIONAL NEWS AND PICTURES

Unmoved: A butterfly is perched on the nose of a cayman, but despite ist vicious reputation the toothy beast seem more than content with having his new friend rest on his snout

This brave butterfly flutters down, using a Cayman's head, then snout as a landing pad. But the reptile seems to just grin as the insect perches inches from two rows of sharp teeth.
The Brazilian Cayman, a relative of the alligator, didn't bat an eyelid as the butterfly landed first on his head, then his nose.
Amateur wildlife photographer Pavel Zahorec, 56, got the snap as he travelled down the Rio Negro in a small boat in the Brazilian Pantanal.
Pavel, from the Czech Republic, said: "I was in a small boat floating down the river and was taking photos of the coast and a nearby lagoon.
'On one sandy beach there were a lot of sunbathing caymans with their mouths half open.

One: the butterfly swoops in on the scene, the cayman unaware of the what is going on above his head. Two: The butterfly starts off between the eyes but it seems the nose suited him better

'I spotted a butterfly flying around the caymans and sitting down on them.
'The butterfly was obviously enjoying it and the cayman wasn't against this kind of contact. Only sometimes he winked his eye to show he was alive.
'The whole scene lasted about a minute. The butterfly flew away later and the cayman continued its siesta in the sunshine.
'This shot happened by accident, without any preparation. I was just there at the right time and in the right place and my equipment was ready.'

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Giving baby the heads up: Little alligator grins from ear-to-ear as he gets a ride down the river on his mother's head

By GRAHAM SMITH

Bonding: The wonderful moment between mother and son was captured by photographer Clayton Bownds

It certainly beats having to learn the art of swimming.
This baby alligator did not feel like getting his feet wet when his mother wanted to go for a swim.
So the crafty creature simply climbed on her head and hitched a ride instead.
After a spell enjoying the warm Texan sunshine, the mother alligator decided to go for a quick dip to cool off from the heat.
But her grinning child was having none of it - and climbed on top of her head knowing she would keep it above the surface so he could soak up some more sun.

Hitching a ride: A baby alligator sits on his mother's head as she swims at Brazos Bend State Park in Texas

The wonderful moment at Brazos Bend State Park was captured by keen photographer Clayton Bownds, 40.
Mr Bownds could not believe his eyes as the baby alligator sat tight and enjoyed the ride.
He said: 'I was really surprised when I spotted the baby being carried by his mother on her head - I've never heard of this kind of behaviour.'
'He seemed pretty content there,' Mr Bownds added. 'I stayed for around half an hour just watching and he remained on top of the "perch" for the whole time.
'Occasionally his mother was swimming with him sat on her head and the rest of the time they were very still almost like statues.
'It seems this sort of thing is quite rare and to have been fortunate enough to not only witness it, but have a camera handy to document it too, was a great feeling.'

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He's no scaredy-cat! Angry feline who took on an alligator

By MIKE O'BRIEN

Menacing: The cat and the alligator faceoff over a pile of tasty chicken at a wildlife park in New Orleans

It looks like a good way for this cat to become a tasty snack.
But when the bold feline decided to take on an alligator in New Orleans, he came out remarkably intact. He chose to take on the reptile at an wildlife park just as it was trying to eat some chicken, and began raining blows on its snout.

Growl: The gator flashes its bone-crushing jaws but the cat remains gloriously unimpressed

Tourists on a Cajun Pride Swamp Tour, looked on stunned as the moggy took offence to an alligator trying to eat some chicken.
It begins with the cat firing off three right jabs before the gator steps back to flash its most menacing stare down ever.
After the tense face off, the gator moves forward, grabs a piece a chicken and wham! gets a right hook straight in the mouth.

Oh no you don't: The cat tries to intercept the beast grabbing at the chicken

As the 'living fossil' twists its head and picks up more meat, the cat unleashes three left hooks in quick succession.
The American alligator can weigh up to 800lbs and grow to 13 feet, but our fluffy fighter didn't care for facts and figures - it simply didn't like the ugly beast.
Sitting bolt upright, its ears went back and it started hissing.

Smack! It fires off a fearsome right hook as the gator moves in for the kill

The gator tried coming at the chicken from a different direction, the cat threw an overhand right, the dazed gator sheepishly retreated into the water and ding! ding! ding! the fight was over.
The cat may be the bravest or most stupid you've ever seen and a cynic may argue that the gator has been trained not to attack.
But who's ever heard of a trained alligator?



source: dailymail

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Eyes bigger than his stomach: Alligator chomps on police car

By PAUL THOMPSON

Confused: Here's the moment a 10ft long alligator chomped its teeth into the bumper of a police patrol car in Alachua County, Florida


A fearless alligator bit off more than it could chew - when it tried taking a bite out of a police car.

The 10 foot long beast clamped its powerful jaws on the front bumper and refused to let go.

Video footage captured the alligator holding on to the bumper as the car slowly reverses away.

Eventually, it lets go and the gator was captured by a licensed trapper.

The confrontation took place in Gainesville, Florida, when a householder called 911 to report the alligator wandering around a residential neighbourhood.

Sheriff's deputy Victor Borrero responded to the call, and was confronted by the alligator.

He remained in his car while the animal tried to take a bite out his bumper.
The alligator had wandered into the residential area from Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park.

Police said no one was injured and the officer's car suffered damage to the front bumper.


Alligator attacks Police car


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Alligator! Women flees home after finding unwanted visitor in her guest bedroom

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Don't be fooled by the smile: Alexis Dunbar came home to find this six-foot alligator in her guest bedroom. He also visited the bathroom during his stay


House guests are always a bit of a pain, especially if they are uninvited - and even more so if there's not a lot you can do to convince them to leave.

So spare a thought for Alexis Dunbar, who returned to her Palmetto home in Manatee County, Florida, to find a prehistoric killer making himself comfortable in her guest bedroom.

The uninvited guest was a six-foot alligator, and - despite his smile in the photos - he wasn't in the best of moods.


Injured: The gator had managed to injure himself, either outside or while trying to squeeze himself through the cat flap of Miss Dunbar's home


Miss Dunbar recalled the hair-raising incident, which began after she returned home on Saturday.

She told Bay News 9's Robert Hahn: 'I look to the right and there's an alligator in my guest bedroom.'

Miss Dunbar was not going to hang around, so immediately left the house. But she suddenly remembered her beloved pet cats.

She said: 'My cats are like my daughters. So I thought my cat was eaten. There was blood everywhere.'


Cornered: When help finallly arrived, it was a simple matter of making sure he didn't make a run for it as experts lassoed him


It turns out that the blood came from the gator itself, having either been injured outside or as he tried to squeeze himself through the cat flap of Miss Dunbar's door.

Both of her cats later emerged from their hiding places, shaken but not eaten.


Back in the great outdoors: Miss Dunbar's unwanted visitor was finally led out of the house and onto the front lawn, where he was made safe for transport

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That's my baby! Cheeky heron is chased by irate alligator mother after it swipes young from her nest

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Hands off my son! The mother alligator gives chase after a cheeky heron snatched one of its young from the nest


This hungry heron clearly got more than it bargained for after snatching a baby alligator from its nest.

The vulnerable reptile was grabbed by the large wading bird which then ran off with its lunch held in its beak.

But the brave bird was spotted by the alligator's irate mother, which reared up on its hind legs as it gave chase baring her fearsome teeth.


Brave: The heron had spotted the baby alligator and grabbed it in its beak before making a break for it


The protective beast hurtled after the frightened Great Blue Heron until it finally dropped its precious cargo on the grass.

The six-inch long baby then managed to scuttle back its nest at a wildlife reserve in Polk County, Florida, under the watchful eye of its mother.

Photographer Claudia Kuenkel, 46, captured the incredible moment.

She said: 'It was a pretty awesome sight. Luckily I was about 90ft away from the action so I wasn't worried about my own safety.


Better make it snappy: The Great Blue Heron thought it had found a lunchtime snack, but was spotted by the mother lurking near the nest


'The first thing I saw was the bird just standing there. It wasn't a big deal so I turned away, but the next thing I saw was this huge alligator running.

'Normally they just lie around in the sun and don't really move - I've never seen one like that.'

The heron does not appear to have had time to take off as it ran along the grass bank.


In a flap: The frantic bird attempts to take off as its massive pursuer closes


But it remained near the nest after dropping its lunch on the off-chance of another morsel.

Ms Kuenkel, from Florida, added: 'It actually wasn't until afterwards when I looked at my photos that I saw the baby alligator in the heron's beak and realised what had happened.

'I've never seen a heron eating an alligator baby like this, but I do know they're vulnerable to all kinds of predators when they're so small.

'The mothers are very protective and can be ferocious if anyone tries to harm their babies. Luckily this one had its mum looking out for it.'


Spilled it: As the alligator almost rears on to its hind legs, the frightened heron drops the baby to the ground


Maternal instinct: Having chased off the would-be predator, the mother returns to her nest with her baby, but the plucky heron still lurks around in case of another chance

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Swimming with alligators: Snap-happy close-ups captured under water in the Everglades

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Say cheese: Two alligators smile for the camera as they swim side by side in the Everglades National Park, Florida


Posing with what appear to be toothy grins, these alligators were captured in stunning close-up as they enjoyed a dip in the Florida Everglades.

Totally submerged in the murky water, photographer Jim Abernethy got within inches of the huge predators to capture the perfect image.

Brave Mr Abernethy, 52, even played snap with the creatures by copying the way alligators square up to each other in the wild.

He would raise his arm above the water, similar to the way an alligator raises its jaws - to coax the animals into opening their mouths for the 'killer shot'.

Luckily for him, the 200lb reptiles did not choose to clamp their razor sharp teeth on his arm instead.

Alligators are at their most unpredictable and dangerous while underwater.
'I gave them nicknames like "Fluffy" in the hope I would forget for a moment that they were hunters,' Mr Abernethy said.

'Some were actually quite friendly in an alligator way. Whenever I entered that lake the one called Fluffy would swim right up to me.

'If she came too close I would have to physically push her away with my lens.
'If any of them seemed to be showing threatening behaviour then I just got out of the water.'


Razor sharp: Photographer James Abernethy coaxed the alligators into opening their mouths by copying their behaviour in the water


Terror from the deep: An alligator flashes a toothy grin as he looms towards the camera in the murky water


Based in Florida, Mr Abernethy said he felt confident enough to enter the water because of his careful respect for alligators.

The most recent attack in the U.S. state was in July last year when teenager Tim Delano's hand was bitten off as he took a morning swim in a creek.

The 18-year-old, from Fort Myers, survived the attack by punching the alligator with his free arm until it let him go.

Hunters killed the alligator and retrieved his hand, but it was too damaged to be re-attached.

In a separate incident in November 2007, Justo Padron, 36, was killed by an alligator as he attempted to flee police officers chasing him for breaking into a car close to his home near Miccosukee Resort, Florida.


Thriving: Mr Abernethy said some of the alligators got a bit too friendly and he had to push them away with his camera lens


Mr Abernethy said: 'Large alligators will explode into action when they see viable prey.

'I felt safe as I was slightly larger than most of them and they rarely attack anything bigger than themselves.'

American alligators are more than 150 million years old.

Hunting by humans in the 20th century reduced their numbers heavily and saw them listed as an endangered species.

Strict hunting laws have since seen their population recover and thrive.

One million wild alligators live in freshwater rivers, lakes and marshes of Florida and Louisiana.

They commonly eat birds, raccoons, fish, turtles and snakes.

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He's been tangoed: Orange alligator shows off extraordinary citrus hue

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Orangey: The curiously-coloured alligator was spotted sunbathing on a cement pier in Sorrento Woods, near Venice, in Florida


Florida is famous for its orange groves - less so for its orange alligators.

But that's just what turned up near the home of grandmother Sylvia Methen, in Sorrento Woods, near Venice.

Mrs Methen, 74, said: 'When I was coming back from work I passed by, and I thought I saw what I thought I saw, but I had to back up and come and look again.

'I could barely believe my eyes. It was indeed an orange alligator.'
And Mrs Methen wasn't the only one who saw it.

'He was just sun basking right here on this cement pier minding his own business,' said resident Phillip Crosby.

Most people would be afraid to go anywhere near the huge beast, but not Mrs Methen.

She said: 'I thought this is great, and I am going to snap a picture and send it to my grandkids so they think I'm one of the coolest grandmas in Florida.'

She added: 'I got quite close and he was orange. So if it was mud, he did a good job of covering himself - he got every nook and cranny.'

Mrs Methen says she contacted a biologist, who gave her an explanation for the alligator's extraordinary colouring.

She said: 'His findings were that it's probably almost an albino, kind of in between. It's an albino, only a little more colour, so he wasn't a full-fledged albino.'

And Mr Crosby added: 'I could see him as I was passing by in my car, and he was definitely orange. His whole body was orange.'

Ms Methen added that the biologist believes the animal is so rare, even he hasn't seen one.

But Gary Morse with the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission says the alligator is not actually an albino, but believes it probably submerged in something like rust-coloured water.


source: dailymail

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