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Alligator bites man at Lakeland retirement community

A man was taken to the hospital after being bitten by an alligator in Lakeland.
Credit: Thinkstock
File photo of an American alligator

LAKELAND, Fla. -- A man was bitten in the foot by an alligator Monday in Lakeland.

It happened around 12:30 p.m. at the Big Cypress Golf and Country Club off US-98 in Lakeland.

The gator is believed to be living in a nearby pond, according to an official with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The 85-year-old victim was taken to the hospital by ambulance, but the extent of his injuries was not immediately clear.

The FWC has issued a permit for a contracted trapper to remove the gator.

The incident is under investigation.

Alligators rarely cause serious injuries to people in Florida, but anyone worried about a specific gator should call the FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR.

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