The woman was taken to the hospital for her injuries.
POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A woman is recovering in the hospital after she was reportedly bitten by an alligator at a nature preserve in Polk County.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said they got word a woman who was kayaking at Tiger Creek Canal in the Babson Park area was bitten on her elbow by an alligator.
She was rushed to the hospital for treatment of her injuries. No other details about the woman’s injuries or her condition were released.
FWC and Polk County Fire Rescue responded to the scene after the report. A contracted nuisance alligator trapper was dispatched to remove the alligator.
The FWC says serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in the Sunshine State. The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) is in place to handle gators who pose threats to people.
“SNAP uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property,” the FWC said.
Anyone concerned about an alligator should call the FWC’s toll-free nuisance alligator hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). Once a call comes in, a contracted nuisance alligator trapper will be dispatched to “resolve the situation.”
The FWC 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 an alligator becoming a nuisance and needing to be removed from the wild.
Editor’s note: The FWC previously said the woman was bitten in the Tiger Creek Preserve. They have since issued a correction on the location, indicating it happened at the Tiger Creek Canal. The story has been updated to reflect this change.