Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it’s time for the first ever Fauna Face-Off Friday! Fighting in the blue corner, weighing in at over 30 pounds with a length of up to 7 feet, it’s Nile “Not-a-Crocodile” Monitor! And in the red corner, the defending Everglades champion, weighing in at nearly a half-ton and measuring about 12 feet on average, it’s the American Insti-Gator! These cold-blooded contenders are no lounge lizards--they’re ready for a fight to the finish. Let’s take a look at the action blow-by-blow as they compete in this physical, ecological, and community-based fight.
The bell rings, and round one begins. At first glance, American Insti-Gator is heavily favored for this matchup, due to its scale-tipping weigh-in and massive size advantage, but make no mistake--what Nile lacks in size, it makes up for in speed and cunning. Nile monitor lizards are known for their voracious, indiscriminate appetites, with stomach contents revealed to contain burrowing owls, rodents, turtles, frogs, and even alligator eggs and hatchlings. With their sharp claws, they are easily able to unearth subterranean dwellings and gobble up their inhabitants before they even know what hit them.
Mama Insti-Gator may be looking a little weary after round one, but this fight isn’t over yet. Alligators situate their broods near the water, where they can keep a watchful eye on their developing offspring. When the protective mother catches sight of this wily invader, she snaps into action to protect her young. Nile Monitor attempts to ward her off with sharp flicks of his whip-like tail and quick jabs with his sinister claws, but his defenses don’t match up to Insti-Gator’s sheer, unadulterated power. Warding off blows with her built-in armor, Insti-Gator manages to chomp down on one of Nile Monitor’s vulnerable areas, exerting nearly 3,000 pounds of pressure in a single bite. Using her signature death roll move--practiced only by the most experienced of reptile martial arts masters--Insti-Gator has made a valiant comeback in this exciting second round.
The final bell rings, signifying that this match is coming to a breathtaking close. It’s time for these modern-day Godzillas to tag in their teammates. In a fateful twist at a crucial point in the battle, Nile Monitor’s corner remains empty. As these large lizards are considered invasive and destroy many Everglades inhabitants’ homes and family groups, they are reviled throughout the region--and wait, what’s this? An angry ecologist has approached the ring, making it clear that Nile is not welcome here. Insti-Gator, on the other hand, has a corner full of supporters. As a keystone species and a known environmental engineer, American Alligators provide shelter for both land- and water-dwelling creatures in their alligator holes and help control vegetation dynamics in the area; their presence helps a number of other species thrive and promotes the restoration of our beautiful Everglades. Insti-Gator’s supporters create a powerful network to take down her formidable foe.
This fight ended with a photo finish, but with a win by submission, American Insti-Gator reigns supreme as our Everglades champion. Get a firsthand look at these fierce contenders by booking your Orlando eco tour with Wild Florida today. Call (866) 532-7167 to book your tickets today.
Be sure to update your brackets as we prepare for next week’s Fauna Face-Off Friday! How did you expect the round to end? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
