In 2022, alligators killed 4 people in the USA: why they attack and how to behave if they meet a predator

In July, a woman was killed in an alligator attack in South Carolina. This year has become unusual for alligator attacks - the number of victims has increased, reports USAToday.

Photo: IStock

It was the fourth alligator death this year after a man was killed in Florida on May 31 while looking for flying saucers, another man was killed near a body of water in South Carolina on June 24, and an 80-year-old Florida woman was killed along with him on the golf course.

These are not the only encounters between humans and these creatures. On July 20, a 43-year-old man was attacked by an alligator and was being treated for a "serious hand injury" and a 34-year-old man was bitten on the face while swimming in a Florida lake on August 4.

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Florida is known to be home to many alligators, and residents have had numerous skirmishes with reptiles near their homes, golf courses, or roads.

However, attacks, especially fatal ones, are rare.

"Given how many people and alligators, it's really surprising that this doesn't happen more often," said Frank Mazzotti, professor of wildlife ecology and member of Croc Docs at the University of Florida.

Where are alligators found in the US?

According to the National Wildlife Federation, alligators are found in the southeast and wetlands, with their range extending west to east Texas and east to the coast of North Carolina.

These creatures are most common in Louisiana and Florida, where there are over 1 million alligators in each state.

“Wherever there is standing water, an alligator can be found,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement.

How common are alligator attacks?

Alligator attacks are very rare, even in Louisiana and Florida.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reports that licensed hunters kill more than 1000 pesky alligators, considered "threats to pets, livestock, or people," a year.

The Florida Conservation Commission said there were 442 unprovoked alligator bites in Florida from 1948 to 2021, an average of six per year. Of these bites, 26 were fatal, meaning there is one fatal attack almost every three years in the state.

Nationally, between 1948 and August 2004, there were 376 injuries and 15 deaths in the US from alligator encounters, which means one death every three to four years, according to a 2004 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine.

The Florida Commission says the chances of a Florida resident being seriously harmed by an unprovoked alligator attack are one in 3,1 million. For the record, you are more likely to be attacked by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. Mazzoti said you would rather drown in water than be attacked by an alligator.

What if I'm next to an alligator?

Though rare, attacks do happen.

Alligators typically breed and seek out new habitats in the spring and summer, meaning that alligator activity may increase.

The good news for humans is that alligators have a natural fear of humans and will usually retreat when approached. Mazzoti added that alligators "do not perceive humans as a threat or as food."

However, alligators may be more likely to approach humans if someone is feeding them, which is why it is illegal in many states. Alligators only attack when threatened or cornered, but if a person is in the water with alligators, they may be interested.

“The splashing in the water will attract the attention of the alligators, and if at that moment they realize that there is something smaller and weaker in the water, they may attack it,” Mazzoti said. “Every time you are near water, you are taking a risk.”

What to do if attacked by an alligator

The safe distance from an alligator is at least 10 m, and although they rarely chase people, they can run at speeds of up to 56 km per hour for a short period of time.

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Experts from the University of Florida advise running in a straight line if an alligator is chasing you. If an alligator attacks, experts advise poking it in the eyes, hitting it, and kicking it in the head. You can gag an alligator by stuffing objects into the back of its mouth, and when it tries to move prey in its mouth, this is your chance to escape.

“If you are attacked, fight like your life depends on it, because it does,” Mazzoti said.

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