Percent composition of fish ranged from zero to 100%. Some samples contained

no fish, while other samples were comprised entirely of fish. Lake Apopka alligators had

the highest mean percent composition of fish in their diet (mean = 79.9% + 6.76),

followed by Lake Woodruff alligators (mean = 62.2% + 7.38) and Lake Griffin alligators

had the lowest mean percent composition of fish in their diet (mean = 48.5% + 6.05)

(Figure 3-7). There was a significant difference in the percent composition of fish among

the lakes (P = 0.006). Percent composition of fish for Lake Apopka alligators was higher

and significantly different from Lakes Griffin and Woodruff alligators (Mann-Whitney U

test: P = 0.002, P = 0.036, respectively). Percent composition of fish for Lakes Griffin

and Woodruff alligators was not significantly different (Mann-Whitney U test: P =

0.249).

Other vertebrate prey groups

 Other vertebrate prey groups (reptiles, mammals, birds, and amphibians) were less

important in the diet of alligators among the lakes. The occurrence of reptiles in all

samples for alligators from Lakes Griffin and Apopka was high (Figure 3-2), however,

this was due to the high incidence of turtle scutes and the occurrence dropped

dramatically when looking at only fresh reptiles (Figure 3-3). The occurrence of reptiles

in all samples for Lake Woodruff alligators was low (Figure 3-2) and also dropped when

looking at fresh reptiles (Figure 3-3). The occurrence of mammals, birds, and

amphibians were low for all samples among the lakes (Figure 3-2), and dropped slightly

for only fresh mammals, birds, and amphibians (Figure 3-3).

 Lake Griffin alligators had the highest occurrence of other vertebrate prey groups.

This large occurrence of non-fish prey for Lake Griffin alligators was possibly due to the

larger sample size (Table 3-2). The chi-square test revealed differences in the diet of