Here’s a guide to prevent rare but fatal alligator attacks in Florida

Fatal alligator bites are rare in Florida but they can happen to anyone, according to authorities.

As the state continues to experience tremendous human population growth, and many residents seek waterfront homes, there is a greater potential for conflict, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says.

On Monday, an 85-year-old woman was walking her small dog along the edge of a community’s retention pond in St. Lucie County when an approximately 10-foot-long alligator attempted to bite her pet before pulling her into the water. Gloria Serge’s body was recovered at the scene, and a nuisance trapper captured the alligator involved in the fatal attack, an FWC spokeswoman told the Miami Herald. The reptile was later euthanized.

READ MORE: Alligator kills 85-year-old woman walking her dog in a Florida neighborhood, FWC says

There were at least seven major and two minor alligator bites on people in 2021, and none of those were fatal, according to FWC data last updated in November of that year. The last registered deadly alligator bite in Florida was in 2019.

To prevent fatal encounters with alligators, check out these safety tips from the FWC:

▪ Make sure pets are leashed and at least 10 feet from the water’s edge because they can resemble alligators’ natural prey.

▪ Swim only during the day and in designated areas because alligators are most active at dusk and dawn.

▪ Don’t allow your pet to swim or drink water in marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes.

▪ Don’t feed alligators as they might learn to associate people with food. It is also illegal!

▪ Tell others that feeding alligators is prohibited.

▪ Don’t feed ducks and turtles because attracting prey animals can encourage alligators to come closer to shore.

▪ Dispose of fish scraps only in designated waste containers because they attract alligators if left in or near the water.

▪ Keep a safe distance when observing or photographing alligators.

These safety tips can also apply to crocodiles.

If you believe that an alligator poses a threat to humans or pets, call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR or 866-392-4286.