A teenage boy was bitten by an alligator after swimming in a Florida creek.
The 13-year-old was rushed to hospital after the reptile closed its jaws on his hip while he was emerging from Howell Creek, in Winter Springs, the Orlando news station WKMG reported.
The boy and some friends had been swimming in the creek when a storm started brewing. As they were getting out of the water, the alligator "suddenly jumped out of the water and bit him," the teen told local police.
He told WKMG that he had felt "a tug" on him and already knew what it was. "I just slapped the water and started, like, trying to push him off of me," he said.
Lake Jesup, which has a high population of alligators, feeds into the creek. The state of Florida overall is home to around 1.3 million alligators. The animals can be found all over the state in swamps and other waterways.
Alligator attacks remain rare, but they can occur when the reptiles and humans are in close proximity. Alligators also tend to hunt in the state's creeks and waterways, meaning they may mistake swimming humans for prey.
The teenager called 911 following the incident.
"I just got bit by a gator," he told the 911 operator, according to WKMG. "I'm OK, though. I can walk and I can stand. I'm fine. It just stings a little bit, but I'm good."
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said in a statement released on June 20 that an alligator trapper was dispatched to the scene following the incident.
FWC trappers are usually called to incidents when alligators have shown aggression towards people. If an alligator is deemed a nuisance, they will usually be euthanized. A nuisance alligator is over four feet long and repeatedly shows a threat to humans.
The Winter Springs Police Department issued a warning on its Facebook page after the teen's attack: "This a reminder that we are still in peak alligator mating season in Florida, and during this time, there is an increase in alligator activity in and around Winter Springs and our waterways."
During the summer, alligators are typically more active, meaning conflicts can increase.
The police department also advised residents to follow certain rules around alligator habitats, as well as urged parents to closely supervise children that are playing in the water.
Neighbors have reportedly been concerned over children playing in the creek for some time.
One unnamed resident told Orlando news station WESH that kids are seen jumping into that creek "all the time."
"It's a big concern for everybody in this community," they said.
Newsweek reached out to the Winter Springs Police Department via email for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
