Alligator attacks man going for an early morning walk in Naples neighborhood

Yesterday morning, Collier County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the Forest Glen and Golf Course community in Naples, Florida, after a nearly seven-foot alligator attacked a man who was out for a walk.  Deputies say that the man was walking on Jungle Plum Drive shortly after 5 a.m. when an alligator came up and bit him in the leg.

The man was flown by medical helicopter to a hospital for treatment.

The first deputy who arrived on the scene rendered first aid to the injured man. A second deputy spotted the alligator leaving the scene and heading toward a nearby lake. The deputy kept eyes on the gator and was able to tell a trapper where it was located.

The trapper safely apprehended the reptile, a female measuring 6 feet 9 inches, and removed it from the area.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) reminded us that it is currently alligator mating season, and urged all residents to be cautious around bodies of water and vegetation where an alligator could have a nest. It was not known if this female gator had a nest near where the attack occurred.

Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn, so plan accordingly to reduce the chances of running into them.   Additional information and safety tips regarding co-existing with alligators is available on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at:

https://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/gators/pet-safety/

Fox 35 in Orlando shared some of those tips, which include:

• Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator;
• Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge;
• Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet; and
• Never feed an alligator (it’s illegal – and dangerous).

In Florida“they say” if there’s water, there’s a good chance there’s a gator nearby.

For more on that recent gator attack in Naples, see the video below.

(Source and alligator photo: CCSO)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram