Florida man remains positive after losing arm in alligator attack.

Alligator Attack in Florida Leaves Man Without Arm

A 23-year-old man had a terrifying encounter with an alligator in Port Charlotte, Florida, resulting in the loss of his arm. According to local officials, Jordan Rivera was attacked by an almost 11-foot alligator near a pond just outside of the Banditos Bar.

The attack happened around 1 a.m. on Sunday, and a man inside the bar heard the commotion and sprang into action to help Rivera out of the water. Hidalgo, the man who helped Rivera, said, “I was scared for sure. He was a pretty big guy. I’m not sure how I did it. I guess my adrenaline kicked in … I don’t know if it was a mama gator trying to save her young, or a daddy gator trying to feed his family … but the guy was very lucky.”

Rivera was flown by helicopter to Gulf Coast Medical Center, where his arm was amputated due to the severity of the injury he suffered. The alligator was later killed.

Despite their numbers in the state, attacks on people by alligators remain relatively rare as they prefer to only attack prey that they can easily overpower. It is illegal to feed alligators because feeding them teaches them to associate food with humans and thus causes them to lose their fear of people.

Alligator Population in Florida

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says that while alligators are still on the federal endangered species list, they can still easily be found all over the state. “Alligators occur in all 67 counties in Florida and can be found in practically all fresh and brackish water bodies and occasionally in salt water,” the state agency said. “Although exact population figures are not known, Florida has a healthy and stable population of about 1.3 million alligators of every size. This population estimate is based on an estimated 6.7 million acres of suitable habitat.”

Fully-grown American alligators can be up to 15 feet long and weigh up to 1,000 pounds. There have been fewer than 450 recorded alligator attacks in Florida since 1948, with a couple dozen resulting in death.

Stay Safe

It’s important to remember that alligators are wild animals and should be treated with caution and respect. If you encounter an alligator, keep a safe distance and never approach or feed them. Stay safe and enjoy Florida’s beautiful wildlife from a distance.

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