Alligator in Florida creek bites 13-year-old boy who ran out of water 'as fast as I could'
WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. - A 13-year-old boy was bitten by an alligator at a creek in Winter Springs on Tuesday, according to 911 audio from the Seminole County Fire Department.
The boy said it all happened at Howell Creek Trestle shortly after 6:45 p.m. He told the dispatcher that the gator bit his right hip and mid-thigh area, but he was doing OK.
"I'm OK, though. I can walk and I can stand. It just stings a little bit, but I'm good," he said. The boy also said it wasn't bleeding "too bad," but his "skin is open pretty good."
When asked where the gator was, the teen said he didn't know. "I got out of the water as fast as I could, and then I just walked all the way to the nearest house," he said, adding that he "ran" away from the creek. The boy wasn't with his mom at the time, who he said was a doctor. She told him to call 911 and officials said paramedics arrived shortly before 7 p.m.
"It doesn't have to be very deep water for an alligator to fully hide," said Gatorland spokesperson Brandon Fisher, "so depending on the size of the alligator, they're easily able to hide in any body of water and stay well hidden."
Fisher added the alligator may simply have been reacting to the commotion in the water. "It's a possibility that maybe this alligator got startled by this kid, being in the creek moving around and that was just a defensive bite, a quick bite."
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was made aware of the incident. The boy was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and a nuisance alligator trapper was dispatched to the area.
"We set traps back here, we're all going to pull out right now and quiet down and hopefully he'll come back and take our bait," said trapper Jerry Flynn.
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What to do to reduce the chances of conflict with alligators
The FWC provided the following safety tips when it comes to coming into contact and preventing conflicts with alligators:
- Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator
- Keep pets on a leash and away from the water's edge
- Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet
- Never feed an alligator (it's illegal – and dangerous)
If you're concerned about an alligator, contact FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR.