A child was rushed to hospital after being bitten by an alligator while swimming in Florida on Labor Day. The child, whose age and sex have not been released, was bitten on the arm and leg by the gator, estimated to be between nine and 12 feet long, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
Rescue from Sandbar
The youngster was stranded on a sandbar in the Weeki Wachee Preserve with several other children Monday afternoon and they were unable to make it back to the mainland. Hernando County Fire Rescue used an airboat to bring the children back to shore before giving necessary medical care.
One child was rushed to Bayonet Point Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the county sheriff’s office said. A licensed Florida wildlife trapper responded and placed traps in hopes of capturing the beast responsible for the attack, reports NYP.
Investigation and Warning
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has launched an investigation into the swimming violation. Authorities have warned people to follow the rules at waterways in the state and to exercise extreme caution. The sheriff's office said: “Do not swim in areas where swimming is prohibited.”
The Weeki Wachee Preserve spans over 11,200 acres in west-central Florida, about 50 miles north of Tampa. The Southwest Florida Water Management District says on its website “no swimming allowed in any of the lakes.”
