Deadly alligator attack today

[Cuda]

Debbie and I were out riding around in the Ocala National Forest today. We went to Silver Glen by land for the first time. On our way back, we stopped at this little place on SR 19 called Juniper Wayside. It's a clear shallow spring run, from Juniper Springs. There were a bunch of people, playing in the water, and partying. A guy came flying from upstream in canoe in a panick, and screaming for a cell phone. A girl had been snorkeling about a half mile upstream, and was attacked by a big gator. He called 911. He said there were two guys with her, they must have gotten her away from the gator, but he said she was limp, and the two guys were carrying her back through the woods. We were there about another twenty minutes, and never saw any ambuilances, or anything, so I thought they must have taken her out another way. When we left, we saw ambulances, firetrucks, and forest service trucks screaming down SR19 towards the wayside. I guess it took them that long to respond. The place is quite a ways from civilization. I just got home and turned on the news, and they just got word of the attack, and sadly, said the girl died at the scene.
This happened about 5:15 this evening. I took these pictures of the wayside just a couple minutes before it happened. The attack was above the bridge you see in one picture. I was just thinking what a great place to hang out and party. There were guys on airboats with stereos playing, and I saw two guys draggin a 100 quart ice chest full of ice towards them. It went from a cool discovery for us a place to go, to a very sad event in one moment

[gcarter]

I have customers in Salt springs, so I've seen that run and all the people many times. I'm not surprised by this happening. Virtually no one lives within several miles of there.
It is a sad occurance. You have to be really careful in places like that.

[chappy]

I'm sorry, scary stuff. I still would like to boat and ride down in that part of the country. I hear it's really beautiful.
Again, I'm sorry about the tragedy,
Rich

[Cuda]

It might be the third this weekend. I "heard" there was one in south Florida, and I know they found one in Pinellas County.

[ChromeGorilla]

The one in south Florida was in the Davie/Sunrise area...... it was literally 2 minutes from where my sister inlaw lives. Killed a girl in her 20's. They captured a gator from the canal and opened it up..... found two human arms inside. Report said gator ripped off her arms and ate'em and body is on bottom of canal somewhere.

[BUIZILLA]

Report said gator ripped off her arms and ate'em and body is on bottom of canal somewhere.they recovered her body first, then killed 2 gators, before finding the arms in the third gator they killed... she apparently was attacked sitting on a canal bank alongside SR84, talking to her mother on a cell phone, and the phone went dead in mid-conversation..

JH

[fasttrucker]

Maybe its some kind of a nature vrs human thing the gators are attacking mankind.Sort of like that movie The Birds.Scarry

[Cuda]

I think it has something to do with the drought conditions. Too many gators competing for less water. In the case we were near today, the girl was snorkeling, and the gator are nesting. The gator may have thought another gator was crowding it's territory.

[Cuda]

The woman killed in the forest today was 23 years old. Four people had rented a cabin for the weekend. Two people fought the gator to free her, sustaining injuries themselves.

[Cuda]

There have only ever been 19 confirmed alligator attacks resulting in death since they started keeping records. Two of them this weekend. It will be three of twenty if they confirm the death in Pinellas.

[BUIZILLA]

The Pinellas death was confirmed tonight...

[ChromeGorilla]

Thanks for the news copies MP.....


Anyone have a link or the story on the Pinellas attack/death?

[Magicallbill]

When I used to vacation down there, I seem to remember gators were a protected species.
Is it still that way?
Are there too many of them because they're protected?
Sounds to me like a little "thinning out" session is in order if the attacks are on the rise.....

MB

[Cuda]

They are still a "species of concern". About ten years ago, they started allowing some hunting of them, very controlled with permits. Debbie's dad used to poach gators when she wa a kid, for extra money. He said he made $60 a week at Suwannee Lumber, and $150 to $300 a weekend poaching gator hides, He said back then, there weren't nearly as many gators around. He said if he and his dad found a gator track, the gator would die, no matter how many days they had to track him.

[Cuda]

Article in the Orlando Sentinal about the attack we were near.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-mgatorattacks1506may15,0,6474549.story?page=2&coll=orl-home-promo

[dr]

If I’m not mistaken the Ocala site is where my wife and daughter go scuba diving and in fact took their certification exercises…..is this lake known for scuba and snorkeling?

[gcarter]

If I’m not mistaken the Ocala site is where my wife and daughter go scuba diving and in fact took their certification exercises…..is this lake known for scuba and snorkeling?
Silver Glen Springs are nearby and offer good snorkeling. The lake itself is murky at best and very shallow.

[dr]

Silver Glen Springs are nearby and offer good snorkeling. The lake itself is murky at best and very shallow.
That’s it….thanks for the info…but to be honest I guess I was hoping this might be an opportunity to reduce the number of expensive scuba trips they take…and they never let me go with them…what’s that all about?

[Donzigo]

An 85 yr. old woman was bitten while weeding her flower garden by a 5 foot Gator in Tampa last week. She finished weeding her garden, then called the paramedics. When asked why she kept working, she told them: "I always finish the job I start"..........................

[Cuda]

Debbie called her dad about the gator attacks this morning. I thought it was strange for the gator to be in that cold spring water. Her dad confirmed that. He said of all the gators he's killed, he's only killed one in a spring. He agreed that it was because there is no other water in the forest. The gators would much rather be laying in a little swamp in a gator hole. Same thing with the one's attacking people in the cities. Normally, they'd be laying in a little swamp somewhere. They don't like being around a lot of human activity.

[pmreed]

From the Orlando Sentinel:


Last year, the state made available about 4,300 permits, each of which allowed the holder to take up to two gators. However, only about 2,700 permits were sold, resulting in 3,436 gators harvested. Officials want to significantly increase that number this year by adding six weeks to the 2006 gator-hunting season -- stretching from Aug. 15 to Nov. 1 -- and allowing people to obtain more than one permit.

Hunters can buy permits starting June 15.


Phil

[Cuda]

The permits only allow gator hunting in a specific place.

[florida gator]

Done as a lottery. I haven't had the good fortune yet but keep trying. My buddy had one last season.