At times nature can be cruel, but there is also a raw beauty, and even a certain justice manifested within that cruelty...

The alligator, one of the oldest and ultimate predators, normally considered the "apex predator," can still fall victim to implemented 'team work' strategy, made possible due to the tight knit social structure and "survival of the pack mentality" bred into the canines.

See the remarkable photograph below courtesy of Nature Magazine.

Note that the Alpha dog has a muzzle hold on the gator preventing it from breathing, while another dog has a hold on the tail to keep it from thrashing. The third dog attacks the soft underbelly of the gator.

Caution: Not for the squeamish (NSFW)























































http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/5078/gtordg.png

On a serious note, thanks to their social networking skills, they are the most successful predators in the wild as a collective. 50% kill ratio of game that they actually chase.

The other 50% is counted as a work out.

http://imgur.com/h79KF.gif

that gif of the dog and the inflatable is hilarious. Im going to try that on my dog.