A deadly alligator attack occurred in the US state of Florida on Monday. A retiree walking her dog at a lake was attacked by the crocodile while trying to save her four-legged friend from the alligator. The three-meter predator then attacked the 85-year-old woman, dragging her under the water. She succumbed to her injuries shortly afterwards.
The woman was walking her dog on the grounds of a senior center in the small town of Fort Pierce at the time of the attack. Neighbors told CBS News that the three-foot-long alligator suddenly emerged from the water. The dog survived the attack unharmed, officials said.
“The victim was recovered and an alligator catcher captured the alligator,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said in a statement. A video (above) shows the animal being tied up before being loaded onto the back of a pickup truck.
Fatalities from alligator attacks are rare
Neighbors told WPEC-TV that alligators are not an uncommon sight in the area, but they have never seen an attack like Monday’s. According to the FWC, alligators do not typically attack humans and fatalities from alligator attacks are rare.
For the past 10 years, Florida has averaged just eight unprovoked crocodile bites per year that require medical attention, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told CBS News.
Over a million alligators in Florida
There are an estimated 1.2 million alligators in Florida. The animals can grow up to 3.5 to 4 meters and weigh up to 450 kilograms. Females are usually about three meters long.
Source: Krone
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