5-year-old girl and her grandpa learn that alligators can be patient before the attack
A 5-year-old girl and her grandpa learned that a Florida alligator can be patient and bide its time before attacking.
That’s what happened Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee’s Leon County.
Ryanne Gwaltney was swimming in the Lost Lake Recreation Area when her grandfather, Clifford Gregg, noticed an alligator when they got out of the water to have a snack, according to Fox 8.
They didn’t see the gator again after their 30-minute break. So they went back into the water.
Then he heard his granddaughter scream.
“It was so shocking that it came around behind us the way that it did,” Gregg told WCTV. “I waded out a little bit further, looking around, keeping my eyes open for the alligator. I had stepped 10 or 15 feet away from her when she screamed.”
Gregg scared off the gator by pounding the water with his hands near the reptile. This gave him a chance to scoop up Ryanne and get her to safety on land.
Ryanne needed 11 stitches to close the bite mark wounds on her leg. and is recovering, WCTV reported.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission trappers were able to find and remove the six-foot, eight-inch gator and posted several tips on living with gators. This is Florida, after all.
Among the suggestions:
▪ Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator.
▪ Never feed alligators.
▪ Swim in designated swimming areas during daylight hours.
▪ Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge.
▪ Need to report a nuisance alligator? 866-392-4286.
