Thursday, April 7, 2011
Here is a challenge for you students: Help me and Dr. Warner make a list of possible suspects who may have attacked our models.
Here is your assignment: Research the animals (other than brown anoles) that live in central Florida in and around Tomoka State Park. To figure out exactly who has been attacking our models we need to know what other animals are around. See Ms. Flemming for the details and grading criteria and specific detail of this assignment.
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One predator could be the Broad-Winged Hawk because it usually spends most of its time in Florida and is known to eat small mammals a well as lizards. They are fierce hunters and very good hunters as well common in that area.
ReplyDeleteAnother pretador could be the Florida banded water snake since they are common in Florida. They are known to be a bit mean and willing to bite something without hesiating. They are known to travel to water so they could get to the islands and find the lizards.
Another predator that is very common in Florida would be the American Crocodile. Crocodiles when they are young are known to travel around in water an deat small mammals when young. They are very good swimmers and are able to ge to the islands with ease since they ae natural good swimmers.
1.Wood storks might be possible predators to lizards. Because they are found in Florida State Parks. And they eat reptiles. And if the (fake) lizards are placed in the ground it is most likely that wood storks will go and try to eat them.
ReplyDelete2.Wood Warblers might not be possible predators because they only eat spiders, grasshoppers and other insects. And they are little birds that might not be able to even eat a lizard.
3.Bald eagles migth be possible predators because they like to snatch everything they see. Including ducks, wading birds, turtles, rodents, snakes, and dead animal matter. And if they are able to see the (fake) reptiles without any defense they would most likely to try to grab them and eat them.
The predators for the lizards are chameleons, Iguanas, and komodo dragon. Also the birds and other lizards that are bigger than the actual lizard can be a predator. They are potential predators for the lizards becuase the birds followed the lizard based on how they look or change their colors since it can change to stop the predators for looking for them. Also there are snakes and other predator but in other to be a predator of a lizard it depends on the type of the lizard.
ReplyDeletePossible Predators
ReplyDeleteSkinks, birds, snakes, and green anoles!
Burrowing Owl :
- Still some dry prairies in central Florida
- They feed on mole crickets and in South Florida they feed on brown anoles or Cuban free frogs
Southeastern Five Lined Skink:
- The most common skink in Florida
- It makes a living on the ground
- It can e seen basking on fallen trees or walls
Nine banded Armadillo:
- Opportunistic species that thrive on scrub habitats, logged forests, pine flatwoods, and moist habitats where they are able to dig
- They occasionally eat other reptiles and invertebrates
I believe that one of the preditors could be a raccoon. A raccon is omnivorous, eating plants and animals which are not always alive to begin with. Another aminal that is attacking the models could be the feral cat. The cat eats small animals, mainly rodents. I believe it can also eat the lizards because they are a small animals. The third suspect is the great blue heron. I believe this because the are known to eat small mammals.
ReplyDeleteI found out that River Otters inhabit marsh creeks. They usually eat mostly large crayfish, crabs and other aquatic invertebrates such as frogs and fishes. You can find these aquatic invertebrates in most creeks and other watery areas. I think that they could have attacked the lizards because they occasionally prey on birds, rabbits and rodents. The second animal that I found is the bald eagle and they are seasonal inhabitants of Tomoka Basin. They can be a predator too because of their diet. They mainly eat fish, but when they aren't hunting for fishes, they would hunt for ducks, wading birds, turles, rodents, snakes and carrion. The last animal I looked up is the Peregrine Falcons. They are also seasonal inhabitants. They can also be predators to the lizard. They eat mostly birds, but they eat bats and rodents too. They're favorite food are pigeons and ducks. I hope this helps! :]
ReplyDeleteCherish Jackson,
ReplyDeleteBirds may be a top predator to the lizards like segalls, because they eat lizards and it would be easy for them to do so because they fly and could scoop them up easily. Another animal that could possibly eat the lizards would be bigger lizards, maybe even aligators. lizards would have to worry about being eaten and survival of the fitest; trying to survive and not become malnourished. Also, the Autumn Crocus, Colchicum; If the lizards come in contact with this deadly flower, they could die or mistake it for an onion, eat it and die!
A possible suspect for the horrible crime of eating the fake sagrei could be a black racer (Coluber constrictor). It feeds on Anoles, it grows up to 152 cm so size would not be a factor, also their location overlaps florida and most of the united states.
ReplyDelete- one of the animals that inhabits Tomoka State Park is the West Indian Manatee. I do not think that it is a predator because first it lives underwater, so it couldn't have attacked a model. Also, the Manatee's diet consists of small fish and plants.
ReplyDelete- The american Alligator is an animal that lives in central florida. I am certain this could have been a predator because this animal has alot of prey like for example, it eats from turtles to mice.
-the river otter is another animal that lives in central florida. I think it is less likely to be a predator because it hunts mostly underwater.
1.Did you guys put any lizards by areas that has water?
ReplyDelete2. What animals have you seen at the park?
The bald eagle may be one of the animals attacking the clay models. Bald eagles mainly eat fish but they are opportunistic eaters so they will eat whatever is available.
ReplyDeleteAnother animal that is possibly attacking the models are the Northern Harriers. This species of hawk feeds on small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and carrion.
A third possible predator are the River Otters. Although they usually don’t feed on reptiles, they will ocasionally eat them in the spring or summer since lizards breed closer to a source of water.
Both the American Alligator and the Northern Harrier could be suspects of eating the lizards because they are normally seen at Tomoka State park and lizards are in their diets. On the other hand, Peregrine Falcon cannot be a suspect they don’t eat lizards only other birds.
ReplyDeleteA couple animals that could have attacked the models are
ReplyDelete1. snowy plover bird
2. barn owl
3. blue-gray gnatcatcher bird
1. Alligators are a definite predator for the brown anoles because of the enormous size compared to the lizards. Also by comparison, the capacity of the the alligators mouth shows that it can absolutely swallow the brown anoles whole. They can camouflage too.
ReplyDelete2. Birds like falcons are also factors for the assault of the clay models of the brown anoles. Although falcons are seasonal birds and only visit the island once in awhile, the fact that falcons can prey on brown anoles shouldn’t be overlooked. It is because falcons are hardly seen and that is why it doesn’t seem possible. Falcons are also birds that eat smaller mammals.
3. A final predator for the brown anoles or the models are is snakes. Not only are snakes larger than the lizards, but they can chase down the lizards more efficiently since they can sense movements closer to them. Some can go into the water and get onto the island.
I can tell that you guys have really done your research on this question. The animals that you suggested very well might explain some of the bite marks. However, some of the bite marks were small and clearly had the grooves that are characteristic of incisors. Any idea what these teeth might belong to?
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Martinez said, "On the other hand, Peregrine Falcon cannot be a suspect they don’t eat lizards only other birds." I wrote that the Peregrine Falcon "eat mostly birds, but they eat bats and rodents too. They're favorite food are pigeons and ducks." Now I'm not sure if I'm correct or not since she said that. I thought it might have worked because I thought lizards can be considered as rodents. Can they?
ReplyDeleteHi, I saw you at Tomoka State Park and must contribute that house cats spend a considerable amount of time hunting lizards if given the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteI think that the predator could be a snake because they cause damage to yards and snakes endanger other animals. A pigeon can't be a predator because they only eat worms and corn. Another predator can be a fox or coyote because they eat small mammals and they eat birds, snakes, lizards, deer and other animals.
ReplyDelete1.In my opinion, one of the possible predators that attacked the lizard model could be the bald eagle. It is a seasonal bird inhabits in Tomoka State Park. As a carnivore, it definitely feeds on other animals such as lizards which are found many at the park.
ReplyDelete2.The other possible predator could be the peregrine falcon, a raptor that has extremely fast speed and good vision for hunting. Though brown anoles can hide under the bushes, they barely have a chance to shirk away from the peregrine falcon once they are spotted.
3.The bobcat could also be another predator that attacks the lizard model. Last time, we were shown the picture of the debris of the clay model that was attacked. I think only an animal with sharp claws and teeth could have done that; therefore, the bobcat is a highly possible predator of the brown anoles.
Ha!- it was great to meet you this morning. Thanks for checking out the blog. Please pass on the link to any teachers or students you think might be interested in the project or any of the video content ( on the right hand edge) on the blog.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Aaron
what if someone thought that the fake lizards were real so they take them with them to their home with out you noticing
ReplyDelete1.Other lizards such as the green anole or gecko can be predators of the lizards. The reason so is competition for territory or food. Lizards that are larger that the brown anole are most likely predators.
ReplyDelete2.Birds of prey such as the crested caraca can be a predator of brown anoles. They feed on small vertebrates such as birds and lizards. They occasionally feed on large vertebrates.
3.Snakes such as the Florida Scarlet snake can be a predator of the brown anole because they feed on lizards and other small reptiles.
Broad-Winged Hawk can be one of their pretadors since the reside in Florida and are possible of wating lizards. Another pretador can be the snakes that reside there. One last preadator can be a racoon.
ReplyDelete1. The herons are wading birds in the Ardeidae family. The herons are medium to large sized birds with long legs and necks. The herons and bitterns are carnivorous. The diet includes a wide variety of aquatic animals, including fish, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic insects. This birds like o eat lizrds, no mtter which ones they are. They also eat many other animals but they mostly focus on lizards and small birds.
ReplyDelete2. A raccoon is a medium-sized mammal native to North America. The original habitats of the raccoon are deciduous and mixed forests of North America, but due to their adaptability they have extended their range to mountainous areas, coastal marshes, and urban areas, where many homeowners consider them to be pests. They are very solitary. They eat active or large prey, such as birds and mammals, only occasionally, since they prefer prey that is easier to catch, specifically fish and amphibians. They are known to be capable of eating anything they find, wether It’s nuts, flowers or animals as long as they like I they will eat it.
3. American White Ibis is a species of wading bird of the ibis family Threskiornithidae that occurs from the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States south through most of the New World tropics. They have all-white plumage except for black wingtips (visible in flight) and reddish bills and legs. The red bill blends into the face of breeding birds; non-breeding birds show a pink to red face. This ibis feeds by probing with its long, downcurved beak. Its diet consists of various fish, frogs, and other water creatures, as well as insects and small reptiles.
I don't think an armadillo could be a predator because tey build burrows in moist soil near creeks,streams,and arroyos.
ReplyDelete1) One of the predators that I think it can be is a bird because about 165 bird species have been seen in that park also they do rest on branches so they could have attacked one of the models.
ReplyDelete2) Another animal that it might be a predator is a raccoon. They are pretty large are by the damage of that model that got destroy I’m guessing it could have been a raccoon.
3) My last guess on an animal that can attack the clay models are the lizards. They compete for land or other things so they can attack the clay models. Although I am not sure it could destroy it like it did to that model on the picture.
Here are 3 birds that look possible buy not likely:
ReplyDeleteOsprey: the osprey of central Florida are a predator but mainly on fish, Maybe the reason why they are likely to be a predator of the anoles is because their habitat consists mostly on bodies of water.
Blackpoll Warbler: These birds are consistent of mostly insects and berries occasionaly, they mostly live on parks and woodland areas.
Lontra canadensis: This is a carnivorous animal that mostly lives in freshwater habitats, but its diet mostly consists of freshwater species
Another few suspects can be Chariesterus antennatus (Hemiptera: Coreidae) or Arilus cristatus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Since like you said before they have mandibles which could show imprints upon the clay.
ReplyDeleteThe small grooves could be from an insect or a common house pest!
ReplyDelete1.All of the medium size bird in Tomoka State Park may eat the lizard, because they are just very good food for their sizes.
ReplyDelete2.Snakes may eat them as they eat other small mammal, but they may not attack the model, because they don’t use sight mainly in their hunting.
3.Ants may attack the lizards if they get into their territory, sometimes they may just kill them if the lizard can’t run off from so many ants.
You have raccoons, snakes, foxes, and cayotes.
ReplyDeleteThree common predators of brown anoles are:
ReplyDelete1. House cats are one of the most common predators of the brown anole. Cats usually roam around gardens and prey on lizards and birds.
2. Large birds also prey on these lizards.
3. Racoons will eat anything that they can get their hands on. This means they might have tried eating the model lizards and ended up just destroying them.
Two possiable suspects could be a opossum or a squirrel because they both are omnivores and both can climb trees.
ReplyDelete1.I think the first suspect could had been a house cat since they are free to roam around the places where you placed the fake lizards.
ReplyDelete2.My second guess is that it could had been another brown anole due to territorial reasons.
3.My last suspect is the bald eagle, since they eat predators that are available and since the fake lizards are available to be viewed easily than they could had been the ones attacking them.
1)The Eastern Rat Snake is primarily active at night. It is both a terrestrial burrower and an extremely good climber. This snake feeds mainly on rodents. Its diet also includes lizards, frogs, and birds and their eggs.
ReplyDelete2)A raccoon could also be a predator because they enjoy trees or in general to be hidden. Raccoons are not afraid and will do whatever it takes to find food They are omnivores, and will eat almost anything they can get those crafty hands on.
3)Birds suc h as a bald eagle could be predator because they search for animals and attack to gain their food source.
Selena Romero.
ReplyDeleteMy best guess would be some type of bird or raccoon, could possible be a dog or cat or other bigger lizards trying to attack or eat the fake models.
-Since there are about 160 species of birds in Florida a huge predator might be a bird.
ReplyDeleteFor example:
The Heron even thought they eat mainly fish; their diet also consists of invertebrates, amphibians and Reptiles. They are found mostly in marshes or any body of water, and may they hunt at night. When they eat, they can wait till their pray is dead or they sometimes just stab it. Even though there are different types of herons they should be found among Tomoka and they could be searching for some lizards for dinner.
Another good suspect of this crime is the Northern Harrier. It lives on open wetlands and bodies of water. It’s a big bird, yet it eats small mammals and reptiles. When it hunts it flies low and searches for its prey. They have good eye sight so it should be able to see a lizard and get a quick meal.
Birds aren’t the only animals here. The huge animal that this experiment is for is also a main suspect, Lizards. I saw a picture of the Skink and did some research. These lizards are the biggest ones in Florida, wait it’s the biggest lizard. It can measure up to a foot long. It likes being on trees and getting tans; just kidding it likes sun itself up high on trees. So it is likely to find a clay model and get a bite.
Hope this help sorry for the late post.
Ps. Sorry for it being long.