Alligator attack: Man loses arm while swimming in Central Florida lake, FWC says
A man was swimming in a Central Florida lake early Sunday morning when he was attacked by an alligator, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife officials. He survived, but his arm was amputated at the elbow.
The FWC told local media that the man was swimming in Lake Monroe when the gator attacked. The FWC got the call just before 2 a.m.
Few details have been released. The FWC is investigating what led up to the attack.
Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn, the FWC said. This is also mating season for alligators and they may be more active. Tallahassee police removed one from a resident's front yard Sunday and Jacksonville police were called for one last month. Last week a kayaker captured video of a black bear taking on two alligators in the St. Johns River.
Are alligator attacks common in Florida?
According to FWC spokesperson Lauren Claerbout, this sort of thing doesn't happen often.
“Alligators are naturally very wary of people, they’re not really looking to harm us in most cases... A lot of cases with alligator bites, a lot of times it’s a case of mistaken identity,” Claerbout told WESH.
Gators usually only go after people if they mistake them for food, Claebout said, especially if people have been feeding them.
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Alligators are all over Florida
There are an estimated 1.3 million gators in Florida. They can be found in all 67 counties in the state, according to the FWC, in practically all fresh and brackish water bodies and even sometimes in salt water.
Alligator attacks are not uncommon in Florida, although deaths from them are. Out of 243 total reported attacks between 2000 and 2021 only 18 resulted in fatalities, according to an FWC report.
As our population and housing rapidly expands and pushes them out of their natural habitats, we can expect to see more frequent alligator-human conflict. Alligator activity also picks up in the spring and summertime, when they typically breed and look for new habitats.
Still, the FWC says the chances of a Florida resident being seriously injured in an unprovoked alligator attack are one in 3.1 million.
"With how many people there are and how many alligators there are, it's really surprising it doesn't happen more often," Frank Mazzotti, professor of wildlife ecology and member of the "Croc Docs" at the University of Florida, told USA TODAY.
How to avoid alligator attacks
How can you avoid getting attacked by an alligator? The best way is to avoid them in the first place. If you see a body of water in Florida, it might be safer to assume there's a gator in it.
But the FWC has some tips.
Be careful where and when you swim (or walk): Swim only during daylight hours. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. Never swim outside posted swimming areas.
Closely supervise children and pets in and around water. Keep an eye on children when they are playing in or around water, and do not allow pets to swim, exercise or drink or near waters that may contain alligators. According to the FWC, dogs are more susceptible to being bitten than humans because dogs resemble the natural prey of alligators.
Do not feed an alligator or try to take selfies. It is not only a really bad idea to feed or entice an alligator, it's illegal in Florida. When you feed them, alligators can overcome their natural fear of humans and start to associate them with food.
If you take photos, do it from a safe distance, at least 30 feet. Do not attempt to get close, touch it or handle it. State law also prohibits killing, harassing or possessing alligators except under permit.
If you see an alligator, run away. Alligators are usually afraid of people, rarely bite humans for reasons other than food, and are most dangerous in the water or by the shoreline. But they can move very quickly for short distances on land and they can lunge. If you see one, go the other way and run straight, don't try to zig-zag. If you're in the water and spot one, get out as quickly and as quietly as you can.
If you are attacked or bitten, fight back. "If an alligator bites you, the best thing to do is fight back," the FWC says, "providing as much noise and resistance as possible. Hitting or kicking the alligator or poking it in its eyes may cause it to release its grip. When alligators seize prey they cannot easily overpower, they will often let go and retreat."
When is alligator mating season?
Alligators typically breed and look for new habitats in the spring and summertime, meaning there could be an increase in alligator activity during those months.
What do I do if I see an alligator?
If you encounter an alligator you think will be a threat to people, pets or property, call the FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 1‐866‐FWC‐GATOR (392‐4286) or visit myfwc.com. The FWC’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators 4 feet in length or greater that are believed to pose a threat.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Gator attack: Florida man loses arm while swimming in Lake Monroe
