Alligator attacks man while swimming in Florida lake

A man in central Florida had to have his arm amputated after an alligator attacked him in Lake Monroe early Sunday morning.

According to local reports, officials with the state Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) said the man, who was reportedly homeless, was swimming in the lake in Seminole County just before 2 a.m. EST when an alligator attacked him. The man had to have his arm amputated from the elbow down in the incident, according to WFTV.

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The FWC said it was investigating what led to the attack. Lauren Calerbout, the commission’s information coordinator, told WESH the incident was unusual.

“Alligators are naturally very suspicious of humans and in most cases have no intention of hurting us. In many cases where alligators have bitten, it is a case of mistaken identity,” Claerbout told the outlet.

She added that alligator attacks usually occur because the reptile mistakes humans for food. This can happen if an alligator has been fed by humans in the past, according to the FWC website, as the animals “lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate humans with the availability of food.”

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Between 2012 and 2022, an average of eight unprovoked alligator attacks per year were reported in Florida that were “severe enough to require professional medical treatment,” according to the FWC. The odds of an alligator attacking a Floridian without cause are about one in 3.1 million.

Alligator attacks also rarely result in deaths. Between 1948 and 2022, 453 “unprovoked bite incidents” were reported in the state, according to the FWC. Only 26 (or 5.7 percent) of these incidents were fatal.

To reduce the likelihood of an encounter with an alligator, the FWC recommends that residents swim in designated swimming areas only during daylight hours, as alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.

If you are attacked by an alligator or crocodile, the FWC recommends fighting back, including by making as much noise as possible. Officials also advise trying to hit, kick or poke the alligator in the eyes — alligators will often release their prey if it cannot be easily subdued.

Newsweek has contacted the FWC for further information.