Face-off: Novel depredation and nest defense behaviors between an invasive and a native predator in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA
February 23, 2022
We describe several photo-documented novel interactions between intraguild predators in southern Florida—the native bobcat (Lynx rufus) and the invasive Burmese python (Python bivittatus). Over several days we documented a bobcat's depredation of an unguarded python nest and subsequent python nest defense behavior following the return of both animals to the nest. This is the first documentation of any animal in Florida preying on python eggs, and the first evidence or description of such antagonistic interactions at a python nest.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Title | Face-off: Novel depredation and nest defense behaviors between an invasive and a native predator in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA |
| DOI | 10.1002/ece3.8639 |
| Authors | Andrea Faye Currylow, Matthew F. McCollister, Gretchen Erika Anderson, Jillian Maureen Josimovich, Austin Lee Fitzgerald, Christina M. Romagosa, Amy A. Yackel Adams |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Ecology and Evolution |
| Index ID | 70228826 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Fort Collins Science Center |
Related Content
Photo-documented sequences from 01 Jun 2021 - 30 Aug 2021 showing novel interactions between intraguild predators in southern Florida, USA, bobcat and Burmese python
Entire photo-documented sequence from 01 June 2021-09 September 2021, including novel interactions between intraguild predators in southern Florida - the native bobcat (Lynx rufus) and the invasive Burmese python (Python bivittatus). A bobcat depredated an unguarded Burmese python nest and subsequently the python exhibited nest defense behavior following the return of both animals to the nest. Fir
Andrea Currylow, M.Sc., Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Research Ecologist
Research Ecologist
Gretchen Anderson, MSc (Former Employee)
Biological Science Technician
Biological Science Technician
Austin L Fitzgerald (Former Employee)
Biological Science Technician
Biological Science Technician
Amy Yackel Adams, PhD
Supervisory Research Ecologist
Supervisory Research Ecologist
Email
Phone
Related Content
- Data
Photo-documented sequences from 01 Jun 2021 - 30 Aug 2021 showing novel interactions between intraguild predators in southern Florida, USA, bobcat and Burmese python
Entire photo-documented sequence from 01 June 2021-09 September 2021, including novel interactions between intraguild predators in southern Florida - the native bobcat (Lynx rufus) and the invasive Burmese python (Python bivittatus). A bobcat depredated an unguarded Burmese python nest and subsequently the python exhibited nest defense behavior following the return of both animals to the nest. Fir - Connect
Andrea Currylow, M.Sc., Ph.D. (Former Employee)
Research EcologistGretchen Anderson, MSc (Former Employee)
Biological Science TechnicianAustin L Fitzgerald (Former Employee)
Biological Science TechnicianAmy Yackel Adams, PhD
Supervisory Research EcologistEmailPhone