Massive alligator kills 71-year-old man in frightening wildlife encounter in Florida

THE TAKEAWAY

• A 71-year-old antheral was killed by a 12-foot alligator successful Florida.
• Officials enactment the water is location to galore alligators.
• The alligator was trapped and killed pursuing the attack.

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – Tragedy has unfolded successful a assemblage successful Florida aft a 71-year-old antheral was attacked and killed by an alligator portion sportfishing connected Friday evening.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission was capable to place the unfortunate arsenic Steven Hamilton, of Winter Garden, aft exigency crews tried to rescue the antheral from the h2o on the enactment of Lake Apopka.

This was particularly hard due to the fact that progressive alligators were successful the h2o nearby.

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According to the Winter Garden Police Department, the astir 12-foot-long alligator was trapped and killed pursuing the attack.

Florida, Naples, informing sign, nary fishing, swimming, beware of alligators.

(Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)

Winter Garden Police Chief Michael Mason noted that the water has galore alligators, arsenic these creatures are opportunistic feeders.

Florida ranks archetypal successful the state for alligator attacks, and researchers recovered that 96% of recorded incidents effect from quality inattention oregon risk-taking earlier the bite.

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The constabulary main told FOX News Digital that the water "has tons of alligators successful it" and authorities weren’t alert earlier the onslaught that 1 was adjacent the shore.

This is the 2nd deadly alligator onslaught to hap successful Florida this year, according to officials. American alligators tin beryllium recovered each implicit the Sunshine State, though attacks are rare.

FILE: An alligator successful the Okefenokee Swamp.

(Larry A. Woodward / USFWS / FOX Weather)

"Always beryllium alert of your surroundings. Always beryllium safe," Mason said. "Wildlife: Respect it. Keep your distance. It looks similar it's docile, it looks similar your Florida emblem, but it tin beryllium dangerous."

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In June, a 31-year-old pistillate named Brittany Clark was killed by an alligator adjacent her location successful Oviedo. And successful May of past year, 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema was killed aft an alligator tipped her retired of her canoe, authorities said.