He was near a retention pond at this RV park in Florida. Along came the alligator
A 72-year-old man lost part of his leg after being attacked by an alligator at an RV park in Central Florida.
The horrific incident occurred Friday around 2 p.m. near a retention pond at the Great Outdoors RV Nature & Golf Resort in Titusville, about 40 miles east of Orlando.
Brevard County Fire Rescue officials said the unidentified individual was airlifted to a trauma center, and his condition was not released as of Monday.
READ MORE: Woman finds alligator in the pool at her Florida home
According to a dispatch call obtained by WKMG-TV, the man’s limb was taken off in the violent encounter.
“Per the caller, we have confirmed amputation,” the dispatcher says, reports the outlet.
Trappers removed two alligators from the community, but it’s unclear if either one attacked the man, as per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
A resident of the same RV park, Rob Pribyl, posted a picture on Facebook of one of the reptiles loaded onto the back of a truck, its jaws duct-taped shut.
READ MORE: Gator takes a stroll in Florida neighborhood
In the caption, Pribyl writes the attack was “unprovoked,” and that the “gentleman” (whose age was misstated in the post) was simply doing yard work, but authorities did not verify that information.
The FWC says that alligators are typically “more active and visible” during spring and summer, when temperatures rise, their metabolism increases and they seek a mate.
If you see one, stay away and call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
This story was originally published April 17, 2023 at 6:54 PM.
