Alligator devours shark in extraordinary photo captured by scientists

American alligators on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts are eating small sharks and stingrays, according to a new study published in the journal Southeastern Naturalist, in what is the first documented evidence of widespread interaction between the freshwater and marine animals. "In the article, we documented alligators consuming four new species of sharks and one species of stingray," said James Nifong, an author of the study and postdoctoral researcher with the Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Kansas State University. Though there has been anecdotal evidence of alligators eating sharks previously, this is the first scientific study of its kind. Even though alligators live in freshwater, and sharks and stingrays reside in the ocean, it is fairly common for them to share the same water, according to Nifong. Many sharks and rays can occasionally swim into freshwater, while opportunistic alligators can also travel between freshwater and marine habitats, despite not having salt glands like crocodiles. "Alligators seek out fresh water in high-salinity environments," Nifong said. "When it rains really hard, they can actually sip fresh water off the surface of the salt water. That can prolong the time they can stay in a saltwater environment."...more