Florida man bitten by nearly 11-foot alligator

YOUR FIRST ALERT FORECAST AT 5.15. ALL RIGHT. THANKS, JASON. IT IS 502. RIGHT NOW. IF YOU LIVE IN THE SUNSHINE STATE. YEAH, NEED TO KNOW ALL. >> ALL ABOUT THOSE MARSH MONSTERS. FWC SAYS, BY THE WAY OF COLLIER COUNTY MAN WAS JUST TAKING HIS DOG OUT BEFORE BED FRIDAY NIGHT WHEN HE WAS ATTACKED BY AN 11 FOOT GATOR. THAT IS A BIG GATOR. THAT INCIDENT HAPPENED ALONG IMMOKALEE ROAD. NBC TWO'S TRENT BENNETT IS THERE THIS MORNING. SO TRENT HAVE OFFICERS CONFIRMED WHY THEY THINK THIS ATTACK HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE. >> YEAH, GOOD MORNING, LISA. GOOD MORNING, ALLAN. YEAH, BY THE WAY, FWC FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE SAYS THAT THIS MAN WAS DOING NOTHING. ORDINARY. HE WAS WALKING HIS 2 DOGS LATE AT NIGHT ON A FRIDAY NIGHT. LIKE A LOT OF US, TOO. AND IN SOUTH WEST, FLORIDA WERE ALWAYS NEAR A BODY OF WATER RIGHT? AND THAT WAS WHEN THAT 11 FOOT MARSH MONSTER THAT YOU MENTION JUMPED OUT, GRABBED HIS LEG AND THEN PULLED HIM DOWN. NOW, WE DO WANT TO BE CLEAR AGAIN, IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE THIS MAN WAS DOING ANYTHING WRONG. HE WAS JUST WALKING HIS 2 DOGS. SO FOLKS AT HOME AS YOU'RE WAKING UP THIS MORNING, WHAT DO YOU DO IF A SITUATION LIKE THIS HAPPENS TO YOU? WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH AN ALLIGATOR? AS LISA MENTIONED, GETTING CLOSER TO MATING SEASON? >> WELL, FWC SAYS IT ACTS LIKE THESE, ALBEIT THEY'RE RARE NONETHELESS. BUT AS WE GET CLOSER AND AS WE'VE BEEN REPORTING HERE ON NBC, 2 GATOR MATING SEASON THAT STARTS IN MAY. BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE COURTSHIP PERIOD WHERE THE GATORS ACTUALLY COME IN CONTACT FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. THAT ACTUALLY ALL STARTS THIS MONTH. SO BE MINDFUL OF THAT. YOU'RE LIKELY GOING TO SEE IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN AN ALLIGATOR IN A CANAL, WE'RE NEAR A BODY OF WATER. THIS WOULD BE THE TIME THAT YOU'RE LIKELY GOING TO HAVE THAT HAPPEN TO YOU. SO WHAT DO YOU DO IF THAT DOES HAPPEN? FIRST AND FOREMOST, KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE, RIGHT? IF YOU SEE AN ALLIGATOR, KEEP A SAFE DISTANCE, RESPECT THEM. HOPEFULLY THEY RESPECT YOU IN IN THE PROCESS. THE OTHER THING THAT I DID WANT TO MENTION IS THAT THIS MAN WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND HE'S BEING TREATED FOR HIS INJURIES. BUT BACK TO THOSE OTHER THINGS. IF YOUR CONCERNING YOU SEE AN ALLIGATOR FWC DOES HAVE A HOTLINE. IT'S 8, 8, 8, FWC GATOR. IT'S THAT SIMPLE. SO THE OTHER THING, KEEP YOUR PETS LEAST AT ALL TIMES. AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO SWIM IN A BODY OF WATER, TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT BODY OF WATER IS AUTHORIZED FOR YOU TO SWIM IN BEST SAFE CASE SCENARIO. IF THE WATER IS WET, THERE'S LIKELY AN NEARBY AND ONE MORE THING NEVER FEED AN ALLIGATOR ANYTIME YOU FEED A WILD ANIMAL WHETHER TO GATE OR NOT, THAT ANIMAL IS GOING TO ASSOCIATE YOU WITH FOOD. NOW WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO FWC TO ASK HOW THAT MAN IS DOING. WE'RE TRYING TO GET A REPORT ON THAT. HOW HE'S DOING AND HOW SERIOUS THESE INJURIES ARE. WE'RE ONLY TOLD THAT HE WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL TO BE TREATED FOR HIS INJURIES. THE OTHER THING WAS THAT WE WERE TOLD IN THE REPORT OVER THE WEEKEND THAT FWC SEND AN OFFICER TO OUT HERE TO REMOVE THE 11 FOOT ALLIGATOR FROM THIS AREA OFF OF IMMOKALEE ROAD. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ACTUALLY DID HAPPEN AS SOON AS WE GET THOSE ANSWERS FOR ANSWERS FOR YOU THIS MORNING. WE'LL BE SURE TO LET YOU KNOW FOR NOW

Florida man bitten by nearly 11-foot alligator while walking his dogs

Updated: 8:42 AM EDT Apr 22, 2024

An 11-foot alligator in Collier County attacked a man on Friday night. The man was reportedly walking his two dogs near Immokalee Road when an approximately 11-foot alligator bit his leg.He was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.A Nuisance Alligator Trapper with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) responded to the area to remove the gator.What to do if you see an alligatorFWC advises people to keep a safe distance. People should also keep pets on a leash, as they often resemble a gator's prey.Individuals should never feed an alligator; it's dangerous and illegal. If alligators are fed, they may associate people with food, which could put yourself and others in a dangerous situation. Although serious injuries due to alligators are rare in Florida, FWC ensures public safety through the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP). SNAP addresses alligator threats in developed areas while keeping them in their natural habitat. The program also uses contracted nuisance trappers to remove alligators that threaten people, pets, or property.People with concerns about an alligator should call the toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and FWC will send a SNAP trapper to resolve the situation.

An 11-foot alligator in Collier County attacked a man on Friday night.

The man was reportedly walking his two dogs near Immokalee Road when an approximately 11-foot alligator bit his leg.

He was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.

A Nuisance Alligator Trapper with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) responded to the area to remove the gator.

What to do if you see an alligator

FWC advises people to keep a safe distance. People should also keep pets on a leash, as they often resemble a gator's prey.

Individuals should never feed an alligator; it's dangerous and illegal. If alligators are fed, they may associate people with food, which could put yourself and others in a dangerous situation.

Although serious injuries due to alligators are rare in Florida, FWC ensures public safety through the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP). SNAP addresses alligator threats in developed areas while keeping them in their natural habitat. The program also uses contracted nuisance trappers to remove alligators that threaten people, pets, or property.

People with concerns about an alligator should call the toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and FWC will send a SNAP trapper to resolve the situation.