A Simple Grudge Match: Shark vs Alligator

[Black Jeebus]

Who will win?

[ThatReallyHurt]

I'm not saying your poll is flawed, just need some specifics here. What kind of environment?

[Black Jeebus]

Alright I'll set some parameters. A littoral environment.

[ThatReallyHurt]

Alright I'll set some parameters. A littoral environment.

Uh, like really small?

[Black Jeebus]

Well I have always thought of littoral as being near the shore however I have seen another definition saying the area between lowtide and hightide, it did also list the area near a shore.

So to prevent further confusion water from 2 ft deep to 10 ft deep.

[ThatReallyHurt]

Two more, sorry:

1) What kind of shark, and
2) Ocean or lake?

[Black Jeebus]

Generic shark of comparable meaness/size to the alligator, and brackish water where they can both exist.

[ThatReallyHurt]

Shark, methinks.

It doesn't need to see to home in on food... although it would probably be a little sluggish if the water was really dirty.

I think it really depends on who got the first bite in, but I think the shark would probably do the most damage with the first bite.

Do sharks have better endurance than alligators?

[Black Jeebus]

What I'm curious about is which one has the tougher skin?

[ThatReallyHurt]

Even if an alligator has the tougher skin, think of those divers who wandered around with the chain mail way back when - a few of them had sharks bite their arms, and while the chain protected their skin, they ended up with crushed bones... I don't think an alligator can bite that hard...

[ReverseLunge]

it would depend on if it was a fresh or salt water fight.

[ThatReallyHurt]

it would depend on if it was a fresh or salt water fight.

That's what I was thinking too, but he used that "brackish water where they can both exist" blanket statement.

Are there any freshwater sharks?

[Black Jeebus]

I dunno about fresh water sharks, but I know gators can handle brackish water as can sharks, since the river in my backyard is actually home to both occasionally.

[esskreemr]

Shark.

The alligator depends on the ability to bite the prey and take it underwater to drown it. It latches on and starts spinning. Unless it caught the shark unaware, alligator dies. Sharks can detect faint muscle twitches and 'smell' blood from miles away. Their eyesight is actually not all that well developed.

[bmcfencer]

Well, it would depend on the shark, wouldn't it? I mean, a widdle nurse shark just isn't going to put up much of a fight. But I agree that alligaters would be at a disadvantage since their larger prey comes from the land- they would have no idea how to handle a shark.

[JackOfHearts]

Well, it would depend on the shark, wouldn't it? I mean, a widdle nurse shark just isn't going to put up much of a fight. But I agree that alligaters would be at a disadvantage since their larger prey comes from the land- they would have no idea how to handle a shark.

Apparently they have no idea how to handle pythons either. Check it.

Gator Vs. Python

[Goofy]

Didn't they do this matchup on 'Animal FaceOff' on The Discovery Channel?

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

Are there any freshwater sharks?

One species, the bull shark (Carcharinhus Leucas) can, and does, spend long times in rives. It is ferocious, large, and responsible for several human deaths, including cases in South African rivers far inland. This thing likes to eat mammalian carrion, can weigh over 300 kg, gives birth to live young, and has been observed up to Massachutetts.

More details:
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/Spec...ary.php?id=873


All other extant shark species are AFAIK exclusively marine.

The close relatives, the rays and skates, include several exclusively fresh-water species, notably in the Amazonas basin.

During the Triassic period and before that (more than 200 million years ago) sharks were a significant part of the freshwater fauna. They filled similar niches as the pike and pirhana do today. One, Xenacanthus, had piranha-like teeth, an eel-like body, and inhabited average freshwater habitats. Sweet dreams!

Some sharks alive today would not be much of a problem for Lassie the dog, let alone an alligator. Have a look at this:
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/Spec...ary.php?id=693


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[umbrella]

Shark.

The alligator depends on the ability to bite the prey and take it underwater to drown it. It latches on and starts spinning. Unless it caught the shark unaware, alligator dies. Sharks can detect faint muscle twitches and 'smell' blood from miles away. Their eyesight is actually not all that well developed.

and.......sharks must keep moving to catch their breath!!!!!

[Araznal]

I have to go against everybody here and say that the alligator will win. This is because of the different styles of the two species. The shark is more of a 'hit and run' type of predator that takes big bites, but then resets itself. The alligator bites, holds, and rips his prey to shreds (if not drowned first). If the alligator were to get any bite on the shark, it would all be over because the more the shark struggled, the more intense the bleeding would get, and you'd have a dead shark.