SANIBEL, Florida — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) responded to a call about a man who was cleaning up Hurricane Ian debris and was bitten by an alligator on Monday.
FWC says the 37-year-old man was bitten near a pond off Rabbit Road in Sanibel.
The FWC, the Sanibel Police Department, Sanibel Fire Department, and Lee County EMS responded to the scene.
According to the Sanibel Police report, officers made contact with the patient, an employee who was suffering from a gash wound to his left thigh/knee area. The patient explained the patient had his legs submerged in the water while removing debris when he felt a bite/pain.
The victim had minor injuries and was treated and released.
A contracted nuisance alligator trapper trapped and removed the alligator.
The incident is under investigation.
The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP). The goal of SNAP is to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas while conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur. SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets, or property. People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
The FWC works to keep Floridians and visitors informed and recommends the following precautionary measures near alligators, including in or near the water, to reduce the chances of conflicts with alligators:
- Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator. If someone is concerned about an alligator, they should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
- Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge. Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey.
- Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
- Never feed an alligator. It’s illegal and dangerous. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to dangerous circumstances for yourself and other people who could encounter the alligator in the future.
