COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — A woman was hospitalized Sunday after being bitten by an alligator while hiking at the CREW Bird Rookery Swamp Trail, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
FWC said the woman “unintentionally” made contact with the alligator while hiking through water. She was bitten on her leg and arm and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Officials called nuisance trappers, who arrived at the trail Monday, but FWC would not confirm if the alligator had been captured.
WATCH TO SEE THE TRAIL WHERE THE WOMAN WAS BITTEN BY THE ALLIGATOR:
“I was here a week ago and sent an audio to my friend that that’s an incident that’s about to happen,” said Alina Kubanova, an experienced hiker who was at the trail Monday.
Kubanova, who has hiked more than 100 trails in Florida, said she has seen a high number of alligators at this location and notes tha people were freely walking around them.
“There’s so many, I’ve counted over 15 like a week ago,” she said. “I just feel bad for the person because it could’ve been me. And I was actually scared because I’ve hiked over a hundred trails in Florida and this is the scariest one," she added.
Kubanova said she also left a Google review warning other hikers to be careful.
Visitors at the trail said they hope the alligator is relocated rather than killed.
“I would say it’s better to relocate the animal than killing it, cause like I said this is where they live,” said Sydney Howell, another trail visitor.
“I want it to be relocated, it’s not the alligator’s fault, it’s their place,” Kubanova added.
FWC noted that alligator attacks like this are rare and urged hikers not to interact with wildlife. Authorities continue to investigate the incident.
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