It's a Jungle out there..........pet eaten!
Just minutes from Downtown,a St Johns River tributary meanders alongside my backyard,which is also dominated by my very own private pond.My yard is designated as an official National Wildlife Federation "Backyard Habitat" with all sorts of intended,created wildlife features. I have made efforts to close drainage ditches,diverting spring and rain water to intermittent wet meadows,puddles and flow way to the pond.It's an idyllic setting;
All sorts of furry,feathered,shelled,slithery and fishy critters abound.
Early last year a Gar appeared in the pond. Reminded me of my childhood days in the Glades,all the Gars. Even the one eaten during a Glades ramble & camping trip.
But this new Pond Denizen would not see the dinner table,no way. I made concerted effort to keep from hooking the gar when targeting Bluegills.Free Pass.
The gar grew rapidly in size and I figured it would perish during the North Florida winter,but it emerged intact-and ever larger this spring and summer.
A couple of days ago I noticed from a distance what appeared to be an Otter in the pond- not unusual,other than the quick glimpse revealed what must have been a big Otter tail.
A while later,Ever So One With Nature, I made ye' routine stroll through Eden to the creek..........and spotted what looked like a bent branch near the creek shore....there where flies swirling.........Yikes! Gator!......clamped down on Gar head
Even though I know This Is How It Works,Should Be,I'm tellin' ya now I miss my pet Gar.
Onward-
All sorts of furry,feathered,shelled,slithery and fishy critters abound.
Early last year a Gar appeared in the pond. Reminded me of my childhood days in the Glades,all the Gars. Even the one eaten during a Glades ramble & camping trip.
But this new Pond Denizen would not see the dinner table,no way. I made concerted effort to keep from hooking the gar when targeting Bluegills.Free Pass.
The gar grew rapidly in size and I figured it would perish during the North Florida winter,but it emerged intact-and ever larger this spring and summer.
A couple of days ago I noticed from a distance what appeared to be an Otter in the pond- not unusual,other than the quick glimpse revealed what must have been a big Otter tail.
A while later,Ever So One With Nature, I made ye' routine stroll through Eden to the creek..........and spotted what looked like a bent branch near the creek shore....there where flies swirling.........Yikes! Gator!......clamped down on Gar head
Even though I know This Is How It Works,Should Be,I'm tellin' ya now I miss my pet Gar.
Onward-
Hunters are present yet relatively uncommon in Florida :wink
Replies
Many things to do.
Knots to be unraveled
'fore the darkness falls on you
And my suggestion is to not replace it in order to avoid any future really-not-funny :hairraiser wildlife visit.
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I'm typing keeping close my "pasta hole"!
Political correctness is a mental disease that can put you in slavery. The only cure is to turn on the brain.
I'm not afraid of Coravirus but I'm scared by the paranoid pandemic army who ask for the sanitary naz**m.
Vulgus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur
Many things to do.
Knots to be unraveled
'fore the darkness falls on you
* great for pikes
P.S. Are you work during night or are you living in Europe ?
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I'm typing keeping close my "pasta hole"!
Political correctness is a mental disease that can put you in slavery. The only cure is to turn on the brain.
I'm not afraid of Coravirus but I'm scared by the paranoid pandemic army who ask for the sanitary naz**m.
Vulgus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur
Many things to do.
Knots to be unraveled
'fore the darkness falls on you
********************************************************************************************************************************
I'm typing keeping close my "pasta hole"!
Political correctness is a mental disease that can put you in slavery. The only cure is to turn on the brain.
I'm not afraid of Coravirus but I'm scared by the paranoid pandemic army who ask for the sanitary naz**m.
Vulgus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur
Yea.......in fact I was a bit late for the morning stroll.......could have walked right in to Gator Land.
Gators will appear on the bank of the creek from time to time-this was first (known) excursion well past beyond high water line........
Did the Gator target the Gar? Smelled it?
Look at the photo- Gar tail turned,head chomped.......will never forget the flies. :cry
I am reminded that at least it was not a Unicorn.
I'm sure that where he is now, there are streams and creeks
for him to swim and frolic in with his friends, and there is plenty of
shiners, chubs and alewife for him to devour. The best thing to
comfort one after the loss of a pet gar is to go right out and get
another one. And they are so cute when they're little.
If yes probably the gator has tracked your gar from far.
I don't know gators (we haven't here, at least not the 4 legs ones :grin) but as predators they are "programmed" to find food (like the fishes that find minnows in the vastity of the deep Ocean).
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I'm typing keeping close my "pasta hole"!
Political correctness is a mental disease that can put you in slavery. The only cure is to turn on the brain.
I'm not afraid of Coravirus but I'm scared by the paranoid pandemic army who ask for the sanitary naz**m.
Vulgus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur
Why in the hell would you think a gar would "perish in the north Florida winter"???
They're native a lot further north than here. Doofus.
Most gators i have seen have only chomped a gar and said forget it.Did he eat that nasty thing?Sorry to be rude about your pet.:wink
Yeah, I lost a pet unicorn many years ago...Have never fully recovered.
Many things to do.
Knots to be unraveled
'fore the darkness falls on you
It's a shallow pond. Cold snaps always bring the Blue Herons,plucking stunned or dead goodies
No worries,thanks to all the kind words I am feeling much better,thank you :thumbsup
I do not know if Pet was consumed-I got a first hand demo of Gator speed on land-Gator ran....sprang......flew.... in to the water,Gar in mouth. The leep to water happened too fast for camera
You learned your lesson well.
Now if others would do the same...
I never seen a gator fully consume a gar....only chomp it up an say forget it.
Have heard if they are cooked with milk they are fairly tasty but have never givin it a go.
"Today is MINE"
Heres Tom with the Weather.”
Thank you,will do!
Friends Of Gars,LLC