Six lessons that I learnt from Alligators !!

Herpetophobia is a fear of reptiles and most of us have this fear, especially when we come across huge Alligators (Crocodiles in India).  Like the old saying “Beauty is in the eyes of behold”, to learn what Mother Nature provided, we just need openness to understand our surroundings.

For the past few years, during the month of December, I was traveling to Florida being a Nature Photography Passionate.  Since I had little knowledge about Alligators, my fear was at its peak during my first visit.  I forgot that Mother Nature provided a friendly environment to all species, even to animals that have only a fraction of “human Intelligence”.

Alligators have simple minds, and they mostly act on pure instincts.  Since their motivation and tactics are scientifically documented, with proper knowledge, once can easily predict their next moves.

Lesson # 1: First and the foremost that I learnt from Alligators is “Patience”.  Alligators being the oldest animal, mastered the art of camouflage and patiently waiting for its prey.

Figure 1: During my recent visit to Florida, in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, I found this huge alligator, camouflaged resting on the mangrove bushes patiently waiting.

Lesson # 2:  Secondly, I learnt to use my “gut” instincts while deciding. Alligators are basically designed for hunting in water like Lions/Tigers in the jungle.  Alligators have sensory pits in their jaws that make it easy to find its prey.  Alligators depends wholly on their “gut” instincts.  With minimal intelligence, they are the best when it comes to making best decisive action. They are teaching us to use our gut instincts.

Figure 2: During my recent visit to Florida, in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, I found this alligator patiently waiting for waterfowls. Hardly the water moves, this way the waterfowls don’t see the resting alligator. Here this Alligator was waiting based on his/her instinct.

Lesson # 3:  Also, I learnt to wait for “opportunities” even during difficult times. Remember the famous quote from Albert Einstein – In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.  Alligators though are experts in finding their prey in water, during difficult times, they hunt on land, drag them into water (where its strength lies) and eat when its prey got weaker.  They patiently wait until their prey became weak. They are teaching us to be patient when things are going our way as another opportunity is awaiting.

Figure 3: Here I found this young alligator, resting on the mangroves bushes patiently waiting one of the techniques that they learnt from their mothers.

Lesson # 4: Also, I learnt to relax by “doing Nothing”.  After reading the book “The art of Stillness – Adventures in going Nowhere” written by Pico Iyer, I was amazed to know that our minds too need “Rest” daily.

Well, Mother Nature had already provided us with one of the best real-world examples. Alligators spend most of their time sunning themselves on the banks of rivers relaxing and taking everything else easy. During this relaxation time, they hardly show interests even when their prey is close by. They are teaching us the advantages of “doing Nothing”.

Figure 4: I found this huge alligator, resting on a strong tree branch, on a bright warm sunny day in Blue Springs State Park in Florida, with a huge turtle next to him/her.

Lesson # 5:  I learnt to be “ready for anything”, as opportunity knocks the door only once. Alligators are one of the few animals that can sleep with one eye open. With their eyes on the top of their heads, they can see both above and below the surface (birds resting on trees on riverbank or a turtle swimming under water). Hunting being their primary skill, they are ready at any given time. They are teaching us to be ready for anything (good or bad).

Figure 5A: I found this young alligator, patiently waiting on the riverbanks for any waterfowl.

Figure 5B: I found this huge alligator, patiently waiting with just eyes above the water surface, and doing nothing.

Lesson # 6: Also, I  learnt to work “silently”. Alligators are labelled as a symbol of clever cunning animals. They silently wait for their prey and attack them even before they even know what happened.

After reading the book “Silence: The power of quiet in a world full of Noise” written by Thich Nhat Hanh, I realized that Silence is helpful for achieving other goals along with mindfulness.

Alligators lie in “stealth” in water, with their eyes wide-open above the surface, and pretend to be non-existence to their preys. Once their prey gets closer, they act ferociously. They are teaching us to master the art of discretion to achieve our goal.

Figure 6A: I found this baby alligator, patiently waiting with just eyes above the water surface, and doing nothing.

Figure 6B: I found this baby alligator, patiently waiting with just eyes above the water surface, and doing nothing. The water was so clear and being a bright sunny afternoon, I could see how relax his/her legs & hands were. This depicts the art of Stillness.

About me: Jaganadha “Sastry” Karra was born in India but left when he was 24 years old. For the past 27 years, he’s worked as an IT professional, and has been living in New Jersey since 2004. During his spare time, he goes outdoors and takes nature photos, especially waterfalls. Along with his wife (who loves hiking), they go to nearby state parks where he can experiment with different compositions. In the summer, when his friends play cricket, he’s been experimenting with sports photography. Being a member of Philadelphia Shutter club, he started being a Model Photographer, sharing the photos he took with the upcoming models for FREE.  Find him on Instagram at @sastrykarra, where he posts most of his pictures. On Facebook, he’s active in some photography forums, like NANPA. His Nature Photography website is: https://jrkarra.wixsite.com/photographer