Current:Home > InvestCrocodile attacks man in Everglades on same day alligator bites off hand near Orlando -TrueNorth Finance Path
Crocodile attacks man in Everglades on same day alligator bites off hand near Orlando
View
Date:2025-04-16 22:59:06
A man was injured after being in a rare crocodile attack in the Everglades National Park in Florida on the same day as another man lost his hand in an alligator attack outside Orlando.
A 68-year-old man capsized his boat and was swimming to shore at the Flamingo Marina in the Everglades when witnesses saw him go under water on Sunday, the National Park Service said in a Monday news release.
The man was able to get to safety, and park rangers immediately treated him for a cut on his leg. He was taken to the hospital in stable condition, the park service said.
“Rangers and park biologists are continuing to investigate the incident and monitor the suspected crocodile, which is easily identifiable,” the agency said.
Watch:9-foot crocodile closes Florida beach to swimmers in 'very scary' sighting
Are there crocodiles in Florida?
Yes! Florida is the only place in the U.S. that American crocodiles live in the wild, according to the wildlife commission.
They are considered a conservation success story, as the population has grown to about 2,000 since 1975, when there were only a few hundred living adults. It is still considered a threatened species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The crocodile tends to be shy and stick to brackish or salt water, one of its main differences with alligators, which live in fresh water. Crocodiles also tend to be greyish green with pointed snouts, while alligators tend to be black with rounded snouts, according to SeaWorld.
There are approximately 1.3 million alligators in Florida.
Florida man lost his hand in alligator attack
A man was airlifted to the hospital after a roughly 9-foot alligator bit off his hand while fishing in a retirement community outside of Orlando on Sunday.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had not released the man's identity as of Monday, but a neighbor told the Daily Commercial, part of the USA TODAY Network, what she saw.
Sally Priest said she saw the man's arm in the alligator’s mouth and that the creature was rolling on the bank.
Experts call it a “death roll.”
Alligator attack:Creature bites off man's hand in Leesburg retirement community
Rescuers cut open gator to try to save detached hand
“I knew he was in trouble so I ran to call 911,” Priest said.
The alligator stopped its attack and went back into the water. A large crowd gathered to help the injured man.
His hand and part of his arm had been bitten off, she said.
A licensed trapper was called, who captured and killed the alligator. The gator was cut open so the victim's hand could be retrieved, but one of the rescue workers speculated that it could not be reattached.
“I feel so bad for the man,” Priest said.
veryGood! (748)
Related
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Berkshire Hathaway has first annual meeting since death of longtime vice chairman Charlie Munger
- Children are dying of fentanyl by the dozens in Missouri. A panel is calling for changes
- 2 killed when a small plane headed to South Carolina crashes in Virginia, police say
- Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
- Kristin Cavallari’s Boyfriend Mark Estes Meets Her Former Laguna Beach Costars
- 2 killed when a small plane headed to South Carolina crashes in Virginia, police say
- This Holocaust Remembrance Day, survivors have a message: Don't let history 'repeat itself'
- Meta donates $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund
- Many Florida women can’t get abortions past 6 weeks. Where else can they go?
Ranking
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- 'It was quite a show': Escaped zebra caught in Washington yard after 6 days on the run
- How Larry Birkhead and Daughter Dannielynn Are Honoring Anna Nicole Smith's Legacy
- Tom Brady Gets Called Out for Leaving Pregnant Bridget Moynahan
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- 'It was quite a show': Escaped zebra caught in Washington yard after 6 days on the run
- Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness announces retirement
- Mavericks lock up coach Jason Kidd with long-term extension
Recommendation
Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
Rihanna Debuts Bright Pink Hair Ahead of 2024 Met Gala
Mystik Dan wins 150th Kentucky Derby in stunning photo finish
The Deeply Disturbing True Story Behind Baby Reindeer
Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
Turkey halts all trade with Israel as war with Hamas in Gaza claims more civilian lives
Frank Stella, artist known for his pioneering work in minimalism, dies at 87
The Bachelorette's Desiree Hartsock Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby No. 3 With Husband Chris Siegfried