alligator populations and clutch viability (number hatch/total eggs in a clutch) declined in

Lake Apopka and there were reports of adult alligator mortality on the lake as well

(Woodward et al. 1993, Rice 1996). The cause of this is also unknown but may have

been related to pesticides that entered the lake through agriculture, or a chemical spill of

the pesticide dicofol that occurred in 1980 near the southwest part of Lake Apopka

(Woodward et al. 1993). Dicofol contained DDT and, therefore, its impact on the system

and wildlife was a cause for concern (Rice 1996). Lake Woodruff has had little

agriculture and development associated with it and alligators on Lake Woodruff have had

a consistently high reproductive rate (Woodward et al. 1999), indicating that this system

is overall the healthiest of the three and therefore it was considered the reference lake in

this study. This study does not attempt to explore or determine the cause of the alligator

mortality on the lakes, but rather it will offer diet and condition data that may or may not

be associated or related to the problems.

 Study Site

 Three central Florida lakes, Griffin, Apopka, and WoodruffNational Wildlife

Refuge (NWR) were chosen to compare the alligator diets and condition across

populations (Figure 1-1). Lake Griffin is located in Lake County, Florida (280 50' N, 81o

51' W) (Figure 1-2); Lake Apopka is located in Lake and Orange Counties, Florida (280

37' N, 81o 37' W) (Figure 1-3); and Lake Woodruff NWR is located in Volusia County,

Florida (290 06' N, 81o 25' W) (Figure 1-4). This study was conducted on Lake

Woodruff and the surrounding areas including Spring Garden Lake, Spring Garden canal,

Mud Lake, and the canal that connects Lake Woodruff to Mud Lake (Figure 1-4), which

are all part of the Lake Woodruff NWR.