Now Reading: Alligator safety tips after woman loses arm in Florida attack
- 01
Alligator safety tips after woman loses arm in Florida attack
Alligator safety tips after woman loses arm in Florida attack
Updated Aug. 11, 2026, 1:01 p.m. ET
- A woman lost her arm in an alligator attack while swimming in the Silver River near Ocala.
- Florida has seen several alligator attacks this summer, including one fatality.
- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission advises swimming only during daylight hours and never feeding alligators.
A woman swimming in the Silver River near Ocala nearly died on Aug. 8 when an alligator bit her arm and dragged her underwater, according to reports. She survived after a nearby boater was able to pull her out and apply a tourniquet, but she lost the limb.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they believe the 9-foot, 8-inch alligator has been captured and euthanized.
Thousands, if not millions of people in Florida flock to the beaches, lakes, rivers and waterways during the hot summer months to cool off and enjoy the state’s natural beauty. But alligators can be found in every county in the state and seemingly lurk in practically every body of water.
The state has seen some horrific attacks this summer, with three people getting bitten within a week. One woman lost her life while swimming in the Econlockhatchee River just north of Orlando after an alligator ripped her left arm from her body, a young boy lost his hand when he was bitten in Marion County, and a snorkeler was bitten in the same area.
Here’s how to stay safe.
How many fatal gator attacks have there been in Florida?
While gator attacks aren’t uncommon in Florida, deaths from them are. The FWC says the chances of a person getting seriously injured in an unprovoked alligator attack are one in 3.1 million.
Since the state started tracking alligator bites on people in 1948, there have been more than 500 unprovoked bites from wild alligators, according to FWC data, or an average of 6.5 bites per year. Of those, about 350 were major bites and 33 were fatal, including the woman killed this year.
When is alligator mating season in Florida?
Alligator activity also picks up in the spring and summertime, when they typically breed, look for new habitats, and nest. Courtship begins in early April, mating occurs in May or June, and alligators lay their eggs in late June and early July, the FWC said. Hatching occurs between mid-August and early September.
How to avoid alligator attacks in Florida
Mostly, by avoiding them entirely.
- Be careful where and when you swim (or walk). Alligators can be found in practically all fresh and brackish water and sometimes in salt water. If you see a body of water in Florida bigger than a puddle, assume there’s a gator in it.
- Swim only during daylight hours. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. Never swim outside posted swimming areas.
- Keep an eye on children and pets in and around water. Keep an eye on children when they are playing in or around water, and do not allow pets to swim, exercise, or drink near waters that may contain alligators. According to the FWC, dogs are more susceptible to being bitten than humans because dogs resemble the gators’ natural prey.
- If boating, be gator-aware. Stay out of thick floating vegetation, reeds, and potential nesting mounds. Never dangle hands, feet, or fishing lines over the side of a canoe or kayak. Watch where your boat is moving; you could easily hit one floating under the surface and provoke it. If an alligator actively approaches your boat, slap the water surface with your paddle to get it to move on.
- Do not feed an alligator or try to take selfies. It’s illegal in Florida to feed or entice an alligator. It’s also a really bad idea. When you feed them, alligators can overcome their natural fear of humans and start to associate them with food. If you take photos, do it from at least 30 feet away.
- Do not attempt to get close, touch it or handle it. State law also prohibits killing, harassing or possessing alligators except under permit.
- If you see an alligator, run away. Alligators are usually afraid of people, rarely bite humans for reasons other than food, and are most dangerous in the water or by the shoreline. But they can move very quickly for short distances on land, and they can lunge. If you see one, go the other way.
- If you’re being chased by an alligator, run straight; don’t try to zig-zag. That just keeps you from getting farther away.
- If you are attacked or bitten, fight back. “If an alligator bites you, the best thing to do is fight back,” the FWC says, “providing as much noise and resistance as possible. Hitting or kicking the alligator or poking it in its eyes may cause it to release its grip. When alligators seize prey they cannot easily overpower, they will often let go and retreat.”
If you get bitten by an alligator, get medical attention as soon as possible. Alligator bites can result in serious infection.
You can get more tips and info at GatorWise, a website produced by the FWC and state fish and wildlife agencies from 10 other states to educate residents on the importance and the dangers of alligators, and how to coexist safely.
What do I do if I see an alligator?
If you encounter an alligator you think will be a threat to people, pets or property, call the FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 1‐866‐FWC‐GATOR (392‐4286) or visit myfwc.com.
The FWC’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators 4 feet in length or greater that are believed to pose a threat.
C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
