Posted on 05/02/2010 4:42:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Photographer Says Gators Can't Tolerate Salt Water For Long
A South Florida photographer recently captured a rare sight on camera in the Atlantic Ocean off Palm Beach. Laz Ruda photographed an American alligator in a reef about a mile offshore.
Regularly found in freshwater lakes and rivers, alligators can tolerate salt water, but only for a short span of time. The salt glands on the American alligator are nonfunctional, unlike that of the American crocodile, according to Ruda's website, TheLivingSea.com.
Ruda said he was 60 feet below the ocean's surface when he saw the alligator.
"As I cruised along the sand, from the hazy distance I could see a dark shadow," Ruda writes. "Not being able to discern its shape too well, I thought to myself, 'Holy cow! That's a huge stingray.'"
Ruda said when he got closer, he couldn't believe his eyes.
"This creature was so out of place that I thought it was nothing more than a well-planned out hoax by my good friends," he said.
Ruda was able to switch between still shots to high-definition video.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was called out to investigate, but the alligator had swam away by then and could not be found.
Ruda said FWC officials told him that gators will sometimes make their way out to the ocean, but if they stay out too long, they will lose their sight due to the salt water and eventually starve to death.
there was a series of pictures in the Tampa Trib a half a lifetime ago showing a gator successfully scaling a 6’ chain-link fence.
I’ve seen them in the bay or in the surf several times but it isn’t common.
Interesting friends he must have if he thought they were pulling a joke on him.
The poor Gator was probably blind and near death when photographed.
If that’s the picture, that’s a crocodile, not an alligator. An alligator has a rounded broad snout. That animal has a longer, slender snout. I just double checked for confirmation. You can also notice the exposed fang.
>>The poor Gator was probably blind and near death when photographed.
Uh, we’ve got more than enough ‘gators in Florida. Too bad a few thousand more don’t step off the beach and into the food chain.
Good.
I remember reading once that gators will go into the ocean to kill their parasites.
Why some GOM people tolerate gators when people go without boots and purses and pumps is beyond me.
They are debating that in the comments section.
Now THAT is the worst thing Michelle has ever worn!!!
Someone get the FLOTUS a fashon designer!
Fascinating. And likely in my opinion, being a student of salt.
Saw one just off the beach at Hilton Head years ago....it caused quite a sensation and even got written up in the local paper.
That is a gator.
Go Gators!
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