Gator bites off US teen's arm
Source: Agencies |
July 11, 2012, Wednesday
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AN alligator at least 3 meters long lunged at a teenager swimming in a river and bit off the teen's right arm below the elbow, United States wildlife officials said yesterday.
Kaleb Langdale, 17, survived the encounter on Monday in the Caloosahatchee River in Moore Haven, Florida. Wildlife officers who killed the alligator retrieved the arm, but doctors were unable to reattach it.
"We found the alligator that was responsible," Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Jorge Pino said. "We were able to kill the alligator and dissect it, remove the arm and transport the arm to the hospital to see if the doctors could reattach the limb."
The teen was rushed to a Fort Myers hospital. His condition was not available early yesterday.
His friends told Fort Myers TV station WBBH that while the arm could not be reattached, Langdale was in good spirits.
The alligator went straight for Langdale as he was swimming, Matt Baker said.
"It came at him and he put his arm in the way instead of letting it get to his body. It took his arm and him under," Baker said.
Another friend said Langdale popped out of the water shortly after being bitten.
"He was waving saying, 'Call the paramedics! My arm is gone'!" Gary Beck said.
Alligators are more active this time of year because it's their mating season, which makes them more aggressive and inquisitive as they're looking for food and for mates. Wildlife officers warn that alligators can call just about any body of water in Florida home. It's rare for wild alligators to bite humans, though, Pino said.
Since 1948, 224 people have suffered major alligator bites, including 22 fatal bites, according to June 2011 US conservation commission data.
Wildlife officials were investigating what caused the alligator to bit Langdale.
Last month, an airboat captain was giving a tour in southwest Florida when a 3-meter alligator bit off his left hand. The Indiana family on the boat said the captain had hung a fish over the side of the boat and had his hand at the water's surface when the alligator bit him.
Kaleb Langdale, 17, survived the encounter on Monday in the Caloosahatchee River in Moore Haven, Florida. Wildlife officers who killed the alligator retrieved the arm, but doctors were unable to reattach it.
"We found the alligator that was responsible," Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Jorge Pino said. "We were able to kill the alligator and dissect it, remove the arm and transport the arm to the hospital to see if the doctors could reattach the limb."
The teen was rushed to a Fort Myers hospital. His condition was not available early yesterday.
His friends told Fort Myers TV station WBBH that while the arm could not be reattached, Langdale was in good spirits.
The alligator went straight for Langdale as he was swimming, Matt Baker said.
"It came at him and he put his arm in the way instead of letting it get to his body. It took his arm and him under," Baker said.
Another friend said Langdale popped out of the water shortly after being bitten.
"He was waving saying, 'Call the paramedics! My arm is gone'!" Gary Beck said.
Alligators are more active this time of year because it's their mating season, which makes them more aggressive and inquisitive as they're looking for food and for mates. Wildlife officers warn that alligators can call just about any body of water in Florida home. It's rare for wild alligators to bite humans, though, Pino said.
Since 1948, 224 people have suffered major alligator bites, including 22 fatal bites, according to June 2011 US conservation commission data.
Wildlife officials were investigating what caused the alligator to bit Langdale.
Last month, an airboat captain was giving a tour in southwest Florida when a 3-meter alligator bit off his left hand. The Indiana family on the boat said the captain had hung a fish over the side of the boat and had his hand at the water's surface when the alligator bit him.
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