Page 8 - PGA Community News- July '24

Page 8, PGA C.A.N.! July 2024 July 2024
Northern Notes

Alligators And Rattlesnakes or cease to exist altogether. Alligators, with their deep

And Their Importance In depressions, or gator holes, that collect fresh water during
dry spells, serve as refuges for aquatic life, and supply
Preserves fresh water and food for many animals when water is
scarce, are a prime example of this. Their large nesting
mounds provide nesting and feeding sites for herons
By Katie Roundtree, and egrets. Alligators also eat large numbers of gar (a
Director of Finance and predatory fish) and thus help maintain populations of
Administration, Northern game fish such as bass and bream. They also prey on
Palm Beach County invasive species, helping the native species survive. As
Improvement District alligators move from gator holes to nesting mounds, they
Northern’s preserve help keep areas of open water free of invading vegetation.
areas are designed to Without these ecosystem services, freshwater ponds and
preserve and conserve shrubs and trees would fill in coastal wetlands in the
native ecosystems, and alligator’s habitat, and dozens of species would disappear.
the American alligator and Contrary to popular belief, alligators are less Like alligators, snakes, including rattlesnakes, are
the Eastern diamondback aggressive than many other species of crocodilians. They essential to our ecosystem. They help control small
rattlesnake are essential have a surprisingly well-developed ability to remember mammal populations such as mice, rats and rabbits.
members of that community. things like sources of food. If they see movement in the Rattlesnakes can also help disperse seeds because their
The American alligator, North America’s largest water, they will approach the source simply because they digestive systems don’t have the enzymes to break down
reptile, has no natural predators except humans. This are curious. They pose little threat to humans as they are certain foods. Seeds can germinate while still in their
species has been around for about 200 million years typically not aggressive unless they feel threatened or digestive system. Rattlesnakes may travel eight to 10
and has adapted to numerous changes in the Earth’s are in danger. It’s important to respect their space and miles before passing the seeds through their system. The
environmental conditions. Their existence was threatened understand their behavior. This is why it is crucial for Eastern diamondback rattlesnake is a native snake in
when hunters began killing large numbers of these animals residents to stay high up on the banks or sidewalks, be decline in much of its native range and could soon see
for their exotic meat and their supple belly skin, used aware of their surroundings, teach children to stay clear federal protections under the Endangered Species Act.
to make shoes, belts and pocketbooks. Other people of the lakes and keep all dogs on a leash, promoting a They pose little threat to humans as they are typically not
considered alligators to be useless and dangerous and harmonious coexistence with these fascinating creatures. aggressive unless threatened or in danger.
hunted them for sport or out of As conservationists, we know all species are connected
hatred. Between 1950 and 1960, and equally valuable to a healthy ecosystem. Our job is
hunters wiped out 90 percent of to preserve as many species as possible and develop a
the alligators in Louisiana, and by sense of shared responsibility to keep this planet at least
the 1960s, the alligator population the same, if not better than it was left to us.
in the Florida Everglades was also NPDES tip: Please pick up after your pet. When pet
near extinction. waste is washed into lakes or canals the waste decays,
Alligators are not just members using up oxygen and sometimes releasing ammonia.
of their ecosystems but keystone Low oxygen levels and ammonia combined with warm
species that play a unique and temperatures can kill fish. Pet waste also contains
crucial role. A keystone species nutrients that encourage weed and algae growth. Overly
is an organism that helps define fertile water becomes cloudy and green – unattractive for
an entire ecosystem. Without its boating and fishing. Perhaps most importantly, pet waste
keystone species, the ecosystem carries diseases which make water unsafe.
would be dramatically different

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