LEESBURG, Fla. — A man was hospitalized after an alligator attack over the weekend in Central Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
It happened on Sunday, March 10, off Grand Vista Trail in Lake County. Wildlife officials say the man encountered the 9-foot-3 male alligator while fishing. He received injuries to his hand and wrist.
Lake County Fire Rescue said the man was airlifted to an Orlando hospital for treatment, news station WKMG reports. The extent of his injuries is not clear.
FWC contracted a trapper to capture and remove the animal from the Lake — protocol for the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP).
According to the agency, the goal of SNAP is to proactively remove alligators from developed areas while conserving them in nature. An alligator may be considered a nuisance if it's at least 4 feet long and believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.
Wildlife experts explain that they remove alligators rather than relocate them as relocated gators often try to return to their capture site. Relocating the reptiles to remote areas could also disturb established healthy alligator populations, likely leading to fighting.
FWC provided some tips to reduce conflicts with alligators near water:
- Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator in a lake, pond or other body of water.
- Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge. 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.
Anyone concerned about a possible nuisance alligator should call the FWC's toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
You can find more resources about living with alligators at MyFWC.com/Alligator.
