COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — The Collier County Sheriff’s Office has released new details about an alligator attack that seriously injured a 62-year-old woman while she was hiking a remote trail.
On Sunday, August 17th at 9:40 a.m, a deputy responded to a call for an injured person at Bird Rockery Swamp Trail.
WATCH TO HEAR THE 911 AUDIO FROM THE ALLIGATOR ATTACK THAT LEFT A WOMAN SERIOUSLY INJURED:
According to the report, the woman who is from Fort Myers was walking on the trails with two other people.
The report says she walked onto a "watery portion" of the trail and didn't notice a seven foot alligator on the ground of a narrowing path.
“Hello, we’re out here and our friend just got attacked by an alligator,” a frantic witness told 911 dispatchers.
Watch previous coverage here:
The alligator lurched forward in an "aggressive offensive", and clamped down on the victim's left leg - trapping her in place, according to CCSO's report.
The report says the woman tried to escape the alligator's grip, but could not escape. A witness grabbed the victim, as the alligator tried to drag her even more into the woods.
With the help of the other hikers nearby, she was freed.
“We’re out of the water. We were doing a wet walk and the gator jumped out and grabbed her," the witness told dispatchers in the 911 call.
The woman suffered injuries to her leg and arm and was airlifted to Gulf Coast Medical Center for treatment but her current condition is unknown.
Christina Nay, an assistant professor of biology at Florida Gulf Coast University, said while close encounters can trigger an alligator the animals are particularly more aggressive this time of year.
“Mating season is between April and June, so this is about the time the hatchlings are out — and females protect them for well over a year,” Anaya explained.
FWC said wildlife trappers removed an alligator from the area on Monday but would not confirm what would happen to it.
“Sometimes they become a nuisance, so then they [wildlife officials] might remove the alligator from the area to prevent it from happening again. In extreme conditions, they might kill an animal,” Anaya said.
FWC says alligator attacks are highly rare. Since it started counting alligator attacks in 1948, the FWC has reported a total of 489 alligator attacks on humans as of May 2025.
