Two people were bitten, one killed, in separate alligator attacks in Central Florida over the weekend, according to a news release from the Florida Fish and Wildlife and Conservation Commission.
On Sunday, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and the FWC responded to calls about an alligator bite at the Econlockhatchee River near the Barr Street Trailhead in the Little Big Econ State Forest, FWC said.
Through their investigation, FWC learned that a woman was swimming with friends in the river when an alligator bit her, the release said.
She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died from her injuries, FWC said. Her identity has not yet been released.
“The FWC extends its deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the victim during this difficult time,” the agency said in a statement.
Multiple agencies and a contracted nuisance alligator trapper responded to the scene but trapping efforts are ongoing, FWC said. The investigation is continuing.
On Saturday, FWC responded to a call in Marion County about a child who was bitten on the hand by an alligator. The child was fishing from the shore at Nelson Fish Camp, the agency said.
The child was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for their injuries, FWC said.
An FWC law enforcement officer euthanized the 8-foot-7-inch alligator.
Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida, the agency said.
However, FWC recommends the following tips to keep safe:
- Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator.
- Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge as pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey.
- Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
- Never feed an alligator. It’s illegal and dangerous. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to an alligator becoming a nuisance and needing to be removed from the wild.
If someone is concerned about an alligator, they should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).