Watch: Crocodile and alligator battle it out in Everglades National Park
Crocodile and alligator battle it out in the Everglades
A crocodile and an alligator were seen snapping, biting and hissing at each other in Everglades National Park. (The video contains graphic nature that viewers may find distressing.) Credit: Taylor Bonachea via Storyful
A crocodile and an alligator were seen battling on a sidewalk in Everglades National Park on Wednesday, March 19, as park-goers watched nearby.
Video was captured by Taylor Bonachea that shows the two reptiles snapping, biting and hissing at each other.
People watching near the Shark Valley Observation Tower could be heard gasping as they watched the attacks.
Editor’s note: The video contains graphic nature that viewers may find distressing.
What they're saying:
Bonachea believed they were fighting over a basking spot.
"The alligator goes into the water and leaves the immediate vicinity in defeat, and the croc gets her nice sunny spot to bask in the sun," Bonachea told Storyful, a social media licensing agency.
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Alligator vs. crocodile
Big picture view:
South Florida is the only place in the world where the American crocodile and American alligator can be found together in the wild, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
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Dig deeper:
Alligators have a more U-shaped snout while crocodiles have a more pointed or V-shaped one.
In addition, alligators are black, while crocodiles are usually a lighter grayish brown.
The Source: Video and information in this story was obtained and used in conjunction with Storyful, a social media video licensing agency. Information about American crocodiles and alligators was taken from the U.S. Geological Survey, which is a U.S. Department of the Interior. This story was reported from Detroit.