NORTH FORT MYERS, FLa. — Thursday night a woman walking her dog in North Fort Myers was attacked by an alligator.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to a residence. FWC says a woman was biten by an unknown sized gator, and Lee County EMS responded.
She was transported to the hospital to be treated. FWC did not say what happened to the alligator.
FWC says serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida. The FWC says it places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP).
FWC says the goal of SNAP is to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas, while conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur.
The agency says 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 the agency will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
The FWC says it 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.
