Alligator Grabs 85 year old Woman

Moon Rat said:
On Monday, an 85 year old woman was walking her dog near a pond close to her development when an alligator jumped out of the water wanting the dog, but instead grabbed the old lady dragging her into the water. This happened in Florida near the Ft. Pierce area, which is located on the Atlantic side.

Video and more here: Gator Attack

The gator was caught and euthanized.
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OMG what a horrible way to go! :eek:
OldFeller said:
I was only in Florida once and I judged it uninhabitable. Between the heat, the bugs, the wildlife, the hurricanes. My sister-in-law was on her front lawn and thought she was stepping on the garden hose but it turned out to be a snake. She said she leapt about a foot in the air.

I never went back.
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I visited there once, it was too humid for me. Wew!
 

When my family lived in Florida for 5 years in the early 60's, we never saw a single alligator. Although when we were living in a trailer park in Juno Beach, there was a swamp a mile or so away, and I heard some dogs were missing and never seen again. Back then, dogs were allowed to roam free.

Steve Irwin was wrong. Maybe Crocs do rule in Australia, but here in the U.S., "Gators Rule"!
 
Paladin1950 said:
When my family lived in Florida for 5 years in the early 60's, we never saw a single alligator.
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That was a common experience in the 60s. Gators were over hunted and populations greatly reduced. I also lived in Florida then, and while we had figured out where and how to find a few gators most of my classmates never saw one. I used to take some people out to show them gators, usually for the first time. To find one then you had to go out on a moonless night in a very quiet boat, and spotlight. Even that took a while and a knowledge of where to look. The gators have substantially recovered and now are much more numerous. Most people who live in Florida now commonly see gators.

A combination of rapidly growing human and alligator populations have much increased problems. Even so deaths are still rare, 4 in the US last year. Lighting kills far more people.

Every Major US Alligator Attack That Happened in 2022
https://a-z-animals.com/blog/every-major-us-alligator-attack-that-happened-in-2022-4-fatalities/
 
When I lived in Pensacola, there was a lady that would jog every morning alongside a creek next to our row of condos. One morning as she was jogging, she stopped to wipe her brow and to get a drink from her water bottle. Another couple were in back of her and stopped to watch as an alligator leaped out of the brush along the creek, grabbed her and pulled her into the water as she was screaming. The couple tried throwing rocks at it, but to no good. The Gator took her under the water, drowned her and had a small meal before stuffing her under his or her den.

When the people from the Alligator Protection Agency showed up, I had to ask her some questions. She told me what the gator did wasn’t all that unusual, but rare. Usually gators will scurry back into the water when they see people coming around.

We took a ride south to Ft. Myers and that’s where the Alligator Highway begins. It runs in both directions from west to east and east to west. It’s a 4 lane highway that has canals alongside it. You can often see gators in the canals as you drive across the highway. The highway also goes right through Everglades National Park. I took my first airboat ride through the Glades. Very beautiful.
 
seadoug said:
Sorry to hijack the thread, but I was raised in Tampa (Dana Shores, near Rocky Point Golf Course). I lived there from 1966 to 1988. When did you live there?
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I lived in Temple Terrace from 1966-1967, graduated then moved to Germany. Back home in1970-1972 until our move to NY.
I know the area you speak of, it is beautiful.
 
Alligators like most wildlife are unpredictable. You read about gators being shy of humans and most likely will go the other way. Well, that’s not necessarily true. It all depends on how long it’s been since the gator last ate. Gators are quick in the water, but on land, even though they can run up to 30 mph, they are not sprinters and only have a burst of speed before slowing.

I enjoy watching them crossing the golf course. They take their good old time while keeping an eye on you watching them. They remind me of an old man that’s out for a stroll. If you get too close, they will hiss at you like a snake. That’s a warning to back off.

Gator in a canal. They seldom eat when the water is colder than they like.

86ADCDD8-1E2F-4426-9C57-A12E69BAA571.jpeg
 
seadoug said:
I moved to Miami in 1988, but this must be near the Causeway Inn. There was also a Mullet Inn and Red Lobster there in the 60's and we could see our neighborhood across the water. Thanks for posting!
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As @Moon Rat said:
Moon Rat said:
Yes, I recognize it.That’s on 60 just before you go over the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
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The place was called Castaways originally but closed in 2004 due to hurricane damage. It re-opened as Whiskey Joe's in 1988. Came across it when staying at a local hotel with a day to kill. Great spot to catch some rays and have a cold beverage (or two) ;)
 
CallMeKate said:
Great pic even though I'd never get that close, whether it be dead or alive... "only" 7 or 8 feet?! Yikes. 🤯
Love the shirt!
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Thanks, that was my lucky gator shirt. Always want to wear black or dark colors and moonless nights are the best hunting nights. In Florida its done very differently from what you see on the Louisiana TV shows, we were not allowed to bait or use a firearm. Had to sneak up close enough to harpoon or get one with a very heavy bolt on a crossbow.

The one in the picture was pretty safe, you may not be able to see it but the mouth was securely taped closed, and his spinal cord severed at the base of the skull. Still its a reptile and capable of movement for hours afterwards. Interesting animals.
 
MrPants said:
As @Moon Rat said:


The place was called Castaways originally but closed in 2004 due to hurricane damage. It re-opened as Whiskey Joe's in 1988. Came across it when staying at a local hotel with a day to kill. Great spot to catch some rays and have a cold beverage (or two) ;)
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Yep, I ate there a few times on the way to the airport or just a night out. It was better when it was Castaways. Keep going west along the causeway is where all the partying goes on, especially on weekends. If you haven’t been down there lately, they built a pedestrian bridge for walking and biking parallel to the causeway. I had a place in Clearwater in the Countryside development. Really nice, but route 580 and 611 (McMullen Booth Rd) both got so busy, I had to move out of there. I thought about Largo or Pinellas Park, but crime rates were really up in those areas. Dunedin also too busy.
 

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