IEyeNews

iLocal News Archives

Why alligator attacks are spiking in Florida

FOX NEWS From  BGR

There has been a recent spate of alligator attacks in southwest Florida — and the weather is partially to blame.

On July 9, a 71-year-old woman was airlifted to hospital after she was attacked by a 10-foot alligator at the Shadow Wood Preserve gated community in Fort Myers. The attack came just days after another gator nearly bit the arm off a golf ball diver in a Charlotte County golf course lake.

Last week, an alligator reportedly bit a 10-year-old boy vacationing in Arcadia.

A number of factors are contributing to the spike in attacks. “Alligators are more active when temperatures rise,” explained a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in an email to Fox News. “That fact, combined with this being a popular time of year for people to recreate near the water, creates the potential for human-alligator interactions.”

Officials confirm that there have been 16 bite incidents so far this year in Florida, equaling the statewide record for attacks in a year, which was set in 2001.

However, with about 1.3 million alligators in the state, officials say that attacks resulting in serious injury are a relatively rare occurrence. “From 1948 to 2016, 388 unprovoked bite incidents have occurred in Florida,” explained the spokeswoman. Some 24 of those attacks were fatal.

“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 spokeswoman added.

For more on this story go to: http://bgr.com/2017/07/13/why-alligator-attacks-are-spiking-in-florida/

LEAVE A RESPONSE

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *