85-Year-Old Woman Walking Her Dog Killed by Alligator in Florida

According to a report by the BBC, an 88-year-old woman was killed in an alligator attack as she was walking her dog in Fort Pierce, Florida.

A shocking alligator attack in Fort Pierce, Florida has resulted in the death of an 85-year-old woman. The woman was reportedly out walking her dog when a 10-foot alligator first went after her pet, and then turned on the woman when she tried to intervene.

While alligator attacks are not unheard of in Florida, they are relatively rare, and fatalities resulting from such incidents are even less common.

The woman’s dog managed to survive the attack, but the woman herself was not as fortunate. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the victim’s body has been recovered and the alligator involved in the incident has been captured by a contracted nuisance alligator trapper.

After responding to an emergency call about an alligator bite in the Spanish Lakes Fairways retirement community, officials from the FWC and St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office located the large alligator and managed to wrangle it into the back of a pickup truck.

Alligators are known to be opportunistic feeders and will eat prey that is easily available to them. If they are unable to easily overpower their prey, they will typically let go and retreat. The FWC advises individuals to be vigilant about alligator sightings when in close proximity to freshwater, and to fight back in the event of an alligator attack.

Although alligators can be found in all 67 counties of Florida, attacks resulting in fatalities are relatively rare. According to data provided by the FWC, since 1948, only 26 of the 442 unprovoked alligator bites in the state have resulted in human fatalities.

The victim of this tragic incident has not yet been identified. The attack serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers of alligator encounters in Florida, and highlights the importance of remaining alert and taking appropriate precautions when in areas where alligators are known to be present.