VIDEO: Alligator takes its meal to-go in Florida, crosses road with turtle between its jaws | FOX 35 Orlando
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VIDEO: Alligator takes its meal to-go in Florida, crosses road with turtle between its jaws

By Jovanni Saint Surin
Published  February 26, 2025 1:17pm EST
Orlando
FOX 35 Orlando

Alligator take-out: Gator crosses the road with turtle in its mouth

This gator was caught by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service taking a stroll across a Palm Beach County street with its next meal between its jaws.

The Brief

    • An alligator was seen crossing the road with a turtle in its mouth at Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.
    • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says American alligators treat turtles like nature's hard candy.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Why did the alligator cross the road? To get the turtle to the other side!

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service posted a video of an alligator pedestrian crossing a road with a turtle sitting in its mouth. 

What's in the video?

Timeline:

In the video, an American alligator is seen taking a leisurely stroll across a street in Palm Beach County. However, the turtle sitting upright in the gator's mouth probably wasn't feeling very relaxed.

USFWS says gators treat turtles like nature's hard candy and, since their jaw is so powerful, they have no problem crunching through a turtle's shell. 

"Enjoy this fine dining experience, brought to you by nature and questionable table manners," USFWS captioned the video they shared on Facebook. 

What do alligators typically eat?

CREDIT: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Dig deeper:

Alligators are carnivores and enjoy a wide variety of prey as they hunt on the land and in the water. 

Here are a few examples of some of the American alligator's favorite bites:

Juvenile alligators:

  • Insects
  • Amphibians
  • Small fish
  • Other Invertebrates

Adult alligators:

  • Rough fish
  • Snakes
  • Turtles
  • Small mammals
  • Birds

How do alligators eat?

Gators generally eat based on availability, with different methods of consuming their prey:

  • Wait and ambush their prey
  • Swallow their prey whole
  • Use their powerful jaws to crush turtle shells and bones of small mammals

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 

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