Nov 13 2008
Create a Niche and They Will Come
Here in Florida alligators move into man-made bodies of water as if they had been personally invited: drainage and irrigations canals, retention ponds, golf course water hazards, etc. The audacity of those toothed vagrants!
Fortunately for my family, our backyard goldfish pond is too small. Oh sure, a small alligator could curl up in it. But there is more to the attractiveness of a water-hole than the water itself.
As an experienced/informed birdwatcher, I understand that a good clue as to what species may inhabit a given area is the food it offers. Sure, a niche provides a “home,” but as importantly, if not more, it also serves as a species’ supermarket.
In other words, if an alligator wanders into your swimming pool, it’s not going stick around long. Not unless you also have a puppy kennel on your property and the gator can snag a wayward runt once in awhile.
