Crocodile & Alligator's Diet

Alligators and crocodiles eat meat.

Alligators and crocodiles are opportunistic carnivores. Generally, they swallow their food whole, but when dealing with larger prey, an alligator or crocodile may shake its head or spin its body in order to tear off small pieces. Occasionally, these giant reptiles feed on carrion. With most species of alligators and crocodiles listed as either threatened or endangered in their native habitats, protecting their ecosystem and their food supply becomes vitally important in preserving these ancient apex predators.

American Alligator Diet

The threatened American alligator, native only to freshwater wetlands of the southeastern United States, eats mostly fish, according to Amanda Nichole Rice's "Diet and Condition of American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in Three Central Florida Lakes". Baby alligators eat small fish, crustaceans, worms, small rodents, lizards, frogs and insects. Adult alligators eat large fish, turtles, frogs, snakes, rodents and waterfowl. Biologists have documented large alligators taking down very large prey such as deer, razorbacks, panthers, bears and even smaller alligators.

Chinese Alligator Diet

The critically endangered Chinese alligator lives only in the Yangtze River. The Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis), a nocturnal feeder, lives off mainly fish, but also eats mussels, crustaceans and occasionally rodents and waterfowl. During the winter months, they burrow in caves or underground, ceasing their hunting activities. The Philadelphia Zoo feeds their captive Chinese alligators a diet of mice and fish.

American Crocodile Diet

The endangered American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) inhabits brackish, saltwater and coastal waters in southern Florida, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The crocodile feeds primarily on fish and aquatic species such as turtles and crustaceans. American crocodiles also eat birds. Juveniles catch small fish and invertebrates. According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, attacks on humans have been reported, but rarely authenticated.

Speckled Caiman Diet

Caiman crocodilus, the speckled caiman, lives in South America. Juveniles take insects, mollusks and crustaceans, while adults feed on fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds. People have observed adult caimans eating wild pigs. Cannibalism sometimes occurs. Reputedly, caimans control piranha numbers.

Dwarf Caiman Diet

Paleosuchus palpebrosus, the dwarf caiman, grows smaller than most crocodiles. It lives in Central and South America inhabiting lakes, ponds and swamps. As juveniles, they mainly eat mainly invertebrates. Adults eat fish in addition to a variety of crustaceans and mollusks. According to the Fort Worth Zoo, the dwarf caiman's short, backward-curved teeth are designed for eating invertebrates such as crustaceans.

References

• "Diet and Condition of American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in Three Central Florida Lakes" ; Amanda Nichole Rice; 2004
• The Philidelphia Zoo: Chinese Alligator
• Florida Museum of Natural History: Crocodylus acutus (CUVIER, 1807)
• Florida Museum of Natural History: Caiman crocodilus (LINNAEUS, 1758)
• WhoZoo: Animals of the Fort Worth Zoo: Dwarf Caiman