Face-off: Novel depredation and nest defense behaviors between an invasive and a native predator in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA

We describe several photo-documented novel interactions between intraguild predators in southern Florida-the native bobcat (Lynx rufus) and the invasive Burmese python (Python bivittatus). Over several days we documented a bobcat's depredation of an unguarded python nest and subsequent python nest defense behavior following the return of both animals to the nest. This is the first documentation of any animal in Florida preying on python eggs, and the first evidence or description of such antagonistic interactions at a python nest.

Automated summary

The study documents novel interactions between a native bobcat and an invasive Burmese python in southern Florida, including the bobcat predating on python eggs and subsequent defense behavior by the python at the nest. This is the first documentation of any animal preying on python eggs in Florida, and the first evidence of such antagonistic interactions at a python nest.