Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jun 29

Florida Warns on 1.3 Million Alligators After 31-Year-Old Dies in 3rd Central Florida Attack

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jun 29

Florida Warns on 1.3 Million Alligators After 31-Year-Old Dies in 3rd Central Florida Attack

Q: Florida has 1.3 million alligators. How can you tell if one is lurking in your local waterway?

In Florida, the safest rule is to assume an alligator may be present in almost any natural or man-made freshwater body, and many brackish waterways as well. With roughly 1.3 million alligators spread across all 67 counties, wildlife officials say lakes, rivers, canals, retention ponds, marshes and even drainage ditches can hold them. You may spot one directly as a low, dark shape at the surface, with only its eyes and snout visible. At night or in dim light, a flashlight can reveal the orange-red “eyeshine” caused by the reflective layer in an alligator’s eyes. Tracks, slide marks on muddy banks, sudden movement at the shoreline, or repeated splashing can also signal one is nearby. Posted warning signs such as “Beware of Alligator” or “No Swimming” are another clear indicator. Timing matters. Alligators are most active from dusk to dawn and become more visible during mating season, which peaks in late spring and early summer. Wildlife officials say that is when they may roam into unexpected places and males can become more territorial. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission advises people to stay at least 30 feet away, never feed alligators, swim only in designated areas during daylight, and keep pets leashed and at least 10 feet from the water’s edge. If an alligator appears to pose a threat, report it to the FWC nuisance alligator hotline at 866-392-4286.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 29

FWC on Monday urged Floridians to immediately report alligators that associate people with food after a 31-year-old woman died from injuries suffered while swimming in the Econlockhatchee River.
A 911 caller said the woman was "losing a lot of" blood after the alligator bit her arms off near the Barr Street Trailhead; officers, sheriff's deputies and a contracted trapper responded, and trapping continued.
The death was the second alligator attack in Central Florida within 24 hours and the third in a week, after a child was bitten on the hand near Umatilla and a snorkeler was attacked in Rainbow River.
FWC says serious injuries are rare, but alligators are active during spring and early summer mating season; Florida has about 1.3 million alligators across all 67 counties.