Tragedy struck in Central Florida on Sunday when a 31-year-old woman lost her life after an alligator attacked her, severing her arms while she swam with friends in the Econlockhatchee River. This incident adds to a troubling pattern of alligator attacks in the area, which had already resulted in a child being injured. These incidents have prompted state officials to issue warnings about the dangers posed by so-called “nuisance alligators.”
Responding to this surge in attacks, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) released an urgent advisory on Monday. The statement stressed the importance of reporting alligators that have come to associate humans with food. Such animals need to be identified and removed from their natural habitats to prevent further incidents.
The fatal encounter on Sunday is notably the second in the span of just 24 hours in Central Florida, according to FWC officials. It also marks the third reported attack in the region over the past week, underscoring the growing risk that communities face.
In the wake of Sunday’s attack, a deeply distressed 911 call captured the severity of the situation. “Bad, real bad please, hurry … she’s losing a lot of … please hurry … ” pleaded the caller, as released by local media on Monday. Among the frantic words was a chilling confirmation: “Someone got bit by a gator….”
The Little Big Econlockhatchee Wildlife Management Area became the site of this horrific alligator attack. The incident has spurred Florida officials to emphasize the need for urgent reporting of any alligators that pose a threat to human safety by developing aggressive behaviors. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group)
The FWC said the woman was swimming near the Barr Street Trailhead in the Little Big Econ State Forest. She was taken to a hospital as a trauma alert and later died from her injuries, officials said. Her name had not been released Monday.
“The FWC extends its deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the victim during this difficult time,” FWC press secretary Ashlee Brahier Sklute told News Media in a statement.
Braden Peters allegedly livestreamed himself repeatedly shooting a dead alligator at the Francis Taylor Everglades Wildlife Management Area in the Florida Everglades on March 26. (iStock)
FWC officers, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office and a trapper responded to the river.
“Multiple agencies and a contracted nuisance alligator trapper have responded to the scene,” Sklute said, detailing the ongoing investigation. “Trapping efforts are ongoing.”
The fatal attack came one day after a child was bitten in the hand by an alligator while fishing from shore at Nelson Fish Camp near Umatilla in Marion County, FWC said. The child was taken to a hospital for treatment, and an FWC officer later captured and killed an alligator that measured 8 feet, 7 inches, according to the FWC.
A week earlier, a snorkeler was bitten by an alligator in the Rainbow River in Marion County, prompting officials to temporarily close the waterway while FWC and deputies searched for the animal. Authorities later removed an 8-foot alligator, and the snorkeler was released from the hospital.
FWC says serious injuries from alligators are rare, but the agency warns that alligators are active across Florida, especially during courtship and mating season in spring and early summer. Florida is home to about 1.3 million alligators, and the animals live in all 67 counties, according to FWC.
“The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property,” the agency wrote in its statement to News Media.
“People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286),” they said. “When someone concerned about an alligator calls the Nuisance Alligator Hotline, we will dispatch one of our contracted nuisance alligator trappers to resolve the situation.”
A few safety recommendations for individuals coming into contact with an alligator, according to FWC: “Keep a safe distance” and “keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge.”
“Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey,” FWC warns. “Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.”
Also, “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,” the FWC added. “This can lead to an alligator becoming a nuisance and needing to be removed from the wild.”