A 31-year-old man had to have a portion of his arm amputated after being bit by an alligator in a very unusual incident at Florida’s Lake Monroe, according to authorities.
Reports indicate that the victim, who was reportedly homeless according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, was swimming in a Sanford lake in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday, June 16th.
According to Kendall Hardester, who was present at the scene, she and her friends were returning home when they saw a ma, drenched in blood, lying on the side of the road. His bones and flesh were protruding from his arm.
She grabbed a little towel from his possessions, wrapped it over his arm, and squeezed it until the paramedics arrived. According to local reports, the man had a portion of his arm amputated after being brought to a local hospital after the incident.
In an interview, an FWC spokesman, Lauren Claerbout, said that human-alligator interactions are very uncommon in Florida and that the probability of a Florida resident suffering a significant injury in an unprovoked alligator encounter in the Sunshine State is around one in 3.1 million.
A man in Seminole County was severely injured after being bitten by an alligator recently while swimming in a lake. The incident was reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The attack is now under investigation.
A fisherman, John Lawson, reported that he had seen a man go underwater and then come out gasping for air. He wanted to know whether he was okay. He was taken aback as he grabbed the man’s arm, but he said he was OK. Lawson hung around for a bit to make sure.
He told the man he was trying to help and warned him that he could be crushed by a passing boat or eaten by an alligator. Lawson said that the man expressed no concern about alligators.
Experts have estimated that Lake Monroe is home to about 1,200 alligators.
Although alligators seldom attack people, they may pose a threat when provoked. During mating season, while guarding their young or nests, or when they feel threatened or provoked, alligators may exhibit defensive, violent behavior.
