PHOTO PROVIDED BY BILL DUNSON

A snowy egret looks for fish next to a large alligator in the Myakka River. How does the bird avoid getting eaten? “My theory is that most of these gators are very well fed on fish, in this case tilapia,” according to biologist and wildlife photographer Bill Dunson. “Gators do not eat that often and do not kill for pleasure, thus the bird is safe most of the time. Gators also tend to bask when the weather is cool and they are less inclined to feed then.”