Everglades wildlife biologist Rosie Moore shared an Instagram clip on Sept. 15 showing two captive alligators feeding on a donated dead male Burmese python estimated at 14 to 15 feet long — the kind of Florida wildlife moment that makes people do a double-take.
In this case, though, the scene underscored a larger reality behind the animal encounters people end up watching: Human intervention often plays a major role in shaping them.
The snake was already dead, the alligators were captive, and people set the entire situation in motion, as People reported.
Here's what to know
The meal shown in Moore's video did not begin as a hunt.
On Sept. 15, Moore posted an Instagram clip of two captive alligators feeding on a donated dead male Burmese python estimated at 14 to 15 feet long.
According to the outlet, the snake had been given to Moore as "alligator food."
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"While these guys are typically accustomed to more chicken and fish, I'm sure they're not going to shy away from a Burmese python," Moore told her followers.
There was no pause once the snake landed in the enclosure; both alligators began biting into it right away.
"Just as we expected, they absolutely loved it," she said. "They each took their own chunk and went to their own separate sides of the cage — almost like a dog, kind of resource guarding."
That makes it different from a purely wild predator-prey interaction.
A human handler delivered the meal, and the prey animal was an invasive python that had already been removed from the landscape.
More background
Burmese pythons are invasive in South Florida, while alligators are among the region's best-known native predators.
Invasive species like Burmese pythons can reshape food webs in unexpected ways.
More broadly, invasive snake problems do not emerge in a vacuum. They are linked to human decisions about how animals are transported, kept, and managed.
Dangerous animals are a recurring part of Moore's work.
In August, People reported that she leads a nonprofit focused on reptile research and works with the International SeaKeepers Society, where she joins marine expeditions to find rare species and tag dangerous wildlife.
"Anything that can kill you is what I want to figure out," Moore told People.
Where can I learn more?
For more on Florida's invasive python problem, these stories explore the native predators and human management tied to it. They show alligators turning the tables and pythons overwhelming large prey.
• In the Everglades, an alligator ate an invasive python in a rare reversal.
• In Florida, an alligator killed an invasive python and whipped it through a death roll.
• A Florida study found Burmese pythons can swallow deer and even alligators whole.
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