Alligators do eat other alligators. The American Alligator is an opportunistic carnivore and apex predator, consuming almost any available prey item. This behavior of preying on its own species is known as cannibalism, or intraspecific predation. While not a primary food source, it is a regularly documented part of the diet, especially for larger individuals.
Intraspecific Predation in Alligators
The consumption of their own kind is a recognized ecological phenomenon for the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Scientific studies frequently document alligator remains in the stomach contents of larger alligators. Researchers confirm this practice by finding alligator-marking tags, used in mark-recapture studies, inside the digestive systems of harvested adults, suggesting the larger alligators consumed the smaller, tagged individuals.
The recovery rate of these tags can be substantial; one study documented tags in 12% of stomachs sampled from larger alligators in a Florida lake. This frequency indicates that intraspecific predation is a regular source of mortality within the population. It is an opportunistic feeding strategy where the predator capitalizes on the vulnerability of smaller individuals. Cannibalism is more common among larger, adult alligators who possess the size and strength advantage.
Ecological and Behavioral Triggers
The primary drivers of this behavior relate to environmental pressures and social dynamics. High population density increases the frequency of encounters between large adults and smaller, vulnerable alligators. When many alligators occupy a limited space, the chance of a predatory event increases simply due to proximity.
Competition for resources, especially food scarcity, can also trigger intraspecific predation. When typical prey items like fish, turtles, and mammals become less available, a smaller alligator represents a convenient and high-calorie meal. Large male alligators are also highly territorial, maintaining control over prime habitat areas. Consuming a smaller rival or intruder serves the dual purpose of eliminating competition for food and space while providing sustenance.
Vulnerability of Juvenile Alligators
The targets of cannibalism are overwhelmingly hatchlings and juvenile alligators, whose small size makes them easy prey. The most significant factor enabling this predation is the extreme size difference between a newly hatched alligator and a mature adult male, which can exceed 13 feet. Juveniles remain vulnerable until they reach approximately 4 to 5 feet in length, corresponding to roughly six to eight years of age.
In some Louisiana wetlands, cannibalism accounts for a substantial portion of annual mortality for immature alligators. Studies suggest this predation may remove 6 to 7% of the juvenile population annually in some Florida lakes. While the mother provides initial protection to her hatchlings, this defense is limited. The young eventually disperse, entering a world where their own species poses a significant threat. Dispersing into shallower, less desirable habitats is a strategy juveniles use to minimize the risk of being consumed by larger, territory-holding adults.
Cannibalism within the Alligator Diet
The American Alligator maintains its status as an apex predator through a varied and generalist diet. Typical prey includes fish, turtles, birds, and small-to-medium sized mammals like raccoons and nutria. Cannibalism is a significant component within this broad dietary spectrum.
The opportunistic nature of the alligator’s feeding means that whatever is most abundant and easily captured becomes a meal. Adult alligators primarily consume larger prey, but they will not pass up an easy meal, even if it is a smaller member of their own species. This intraspecific predation acts as a natural control mechanism, helping to regulate the population by removing younger individuals each year. This reality of their ecology ensures that only the most successful and largest individuals survive.