Teen survives gator bite in Vernon

By Heather Kretzer and David Palmer
Published: May 21, 2008

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported Wednesday that a 16-year-old boy was bitten by an alligator in Vernon.

According to the FWC, a woman was getting her children ready to go to school when she noticed a four-foot gator in her yard. She called authorities, who asked her to wait for FWC to arrive.

Authorities say the woman also contacted a neighbor and two teen boys came to the yard to try and remove the gator. One grabbed its tail and another tried to grab its head when the gator latched on to him. The other boy stabbed the gator until it let go of his friend.

The 16-year-old was treated for puncture wounds at the hospital and given antibiotics. He was released a short time later.

FWC believes the gator probably came from Holmes Creek.

The gator will be euthanized due to its injuries.

Henry Cabbage, with the FWC office in Tallahassee, said a four-foot alligator is big enough to be considered a nuisance.

“That means don’t try to handle it, call us,” Cabbage said. “ The teen was attempting to remove the gator in Washington County and the gator bit hard and wouldn’t let go.”

So, the first action to take if an alligator is spotted in your yard is to call FWC’s special phone line to report the problem. The number is 1-866-FWC-GATOR (1-866-392-4286).

Alligators number more than one million in Florida alone. The giant reptile is found in every county in Florida, Louisiana and significant portions of Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

According to information provided by FWC, living near alligators requires some measures of safety. They include:

— be aware of your surroundings when near fresh or brackish bodies of water for recreation or working. Attacks may occur when you are not paying close attention.

— Never allow small children to play unsupervised near water. Make sure that children of all ages are closely supervised.

— Never swim outside of posted swimming areas. Large gators still exists and can easily overpower an adult.

— Do not swim between dusk and dawn when alligators are the most active.

— Never feed alligators, it’s both dangerous and illegal.

— Leave alligators alone. It is illegal to possess or harass one. And remember that they are extremely fast and powerful.

— Observe and photograph alligators from a safe distance.

— Seek immediate medical attention if bitten. Alligator bites often result in serious infections.

— Don’t forget to report alligators found in yards or on the property of a business.