Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 9

Young Swimmer Survives 9-12 Foot Alligator Bite in Florida Preserve as Traps Are Set

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 9

Young Swimmer Survives 9-12 Foot Alligator Bite in Florida Preserve as Traps Are Set

Q: Will the massive alligator be euthanized for acting naturally against rule-breaking swimmers in its own protected habitat?

It is not yet confirmed whether the alligator will be euthanized, but that is a real possibility if Florida wildlife officers identify it as the animal involved. In this Weeki Wachee case, officials said a licensed trapper set traps for the 9- to 12-foot alligator after the child was bitten, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating. Public reports so far do not say the alligator has been caught or killed. Florida’s usual practice after a serious bite is to try to capture the suspected alligator. In some cases, captured animals are euthanized, especially if officials believe a specific gator attacked a person or has become a threat. That has happened in other recent Florida incidents, including a fatal attack in Seminole County, where two large alligators were removed and euthanized while DNA testing was used to determine whether either was responsible. Whether the swimmers were in a prohibited area does not automatically protect the alligator from removal. Wildlife agencies generally prioritize public safety once a bite occurs, even in natural habitat where the animal was behaving as a wild predator. At the same time, the investigation into the child’s group focuses on the rule violation, because swimming was banned at the preserve. So the most accurate answer is that the alligator may be euthanized if captured and linked to the attack, but officials have not announced that outcome yet.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 9

A child suffered puncture wounds to the arm and leg after a 9-12 foot alligator bit the swimmer Monday at Weeki Wachee Preserve in Hernando County; authorities said the injuries were not life-threatening.
The attack happened in an off-limits no-swimming area, and officials said the victim and several others were left stranded on a sandbar until Hernando County Fire Rescue's marine unit reached them by airboat.
Bayonet Point Hospital received the injured child after rescuers provided on-scene care, while a licensed wildlife trapper set traps for the alligator at the preserve.
Florida Fish and Wildlife is investigating the swimming violation, and the sheriff's office renewed warnings not to swim in prohibited areas.
Christopher Gillette, a Florida alligator expert, said the state has about 1.3 million alligators and that designated swimming zones are the safest way to avoid attacks.