Alligator Thrashes Cottonmouth Snake On South Florida Shore

The water moccasin didn’t stand a chance…

While Florida technically doesn’t have the most diverse variety of wildlife in the US, that seems to me like a bunch of scientific nonsense because zooming out and looking at the number of deadly animals alone paints a crazy picture of the Sunshine State ecosystem.

Pythons, panthers, sharks, sting rays, black bears, crocodiles, I mean just reading that list and you might think you’re talking about Australia, not a place millions of people visit for vacation every year that houses a giant theme park centered around a mouse and his wife.

That list doesn’t even include the two creatures we’re talking about here: Venomous snakes and alligators. Florida is home to 6 species of venomous snakes including 3 breeds of rattlesnakes, copperheads, coral snakes, and cottonmouths, also called water moccasins. Most tend to live in the heavily forested areas and brushlands, but the water moccasins, as their name would suggest, thrive near lakes, rivers, and ponds.

Although plenty fearful in their own right, there’s just no competing with the king of Florida waters. Alligators tend to eat mostly fish and small game, but when the opportunity arises, they’re not afraid to take out some of these slithering swimmers, especially when they’re sunning on the shore and most vulnerable.

This video is a prime example of that.

A cottonmouth is minding its own business, soaking up the rays of another perfect Florida day, when unbeknownst to it, a dinosaur is closing in. The gator silently slides up right next to him, and when the prey is in striking distance, lunges forward, grabs ahold, and gives the snake a life ending thrashing before gobbling it down in a few quick bites.

It’s always shocking to see an alligator’s power in action. Even though the snake is much smaller, the speed and violence which it ends its life sends chills up my spine.

Score another one for the alligators…