alligator attack

"The sound of dogs barking and playing may draw an alligator to the area," the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

The alligator, named Grandpappy, appears to have been getting rid of the competition as mating season approaches.

The animal reportedly ate the dog while it was being exercised, in the day's second alligator attack in that part of Florida.

The 12-foot-long alligator was captured Monday morning and authorities are working with the coroner to confirm the remains belong to a missing 71-year-old man.

William Simmons of Fort Myers was bitten while walking in the Wa-Ke Hatchee Park in Lee County.

The zoo later shared that the handler, Lindsay Bull, was hospitalized but is expected to make a full recovery.

The dog's owner, Brian Savage, said that his pet was attacked by the alligator while they were walking past a pond known for housing gators.

Police saw him "throw the alligator over his shoulder and then throw it down to the ground as if he were trying to injure the alligator."

"Alligators are opportunistic feeders and will eat animals that are readily available to them," the FWC warns.

"This animal has one of the most powerful bites among animals. Sure let's use our foot," one viewer posted.

"You're at breeding season and basically the females are laying eggs and nesting. It could definitely be a bad situation for someone in the water."

A witness to the attack said the alligator was attempting to bite the woman's dog.

Jeffrey Heim, 25, required 34 staples to close the head wound he suffered while diving in the Myakka River on May 30.

The 13-pound dog was killed after running into a lake close to its home on a U.S. naval base in Jacksonville.

Osceola County Sheriff Marco Lopez joked that the law-breaking gator "was apprehended, taken into custody and safely released into another side of the lake."

A huge and stubborn alligator gave local authorities a run for their money on Tuesday when it refused to move from its spot in front of a Mississippi home.

Following the tragic death of 2-year-old Lane Thomas Graves in 2016, Walt Disney World has removed a reported 226 alligators from its property in an effort to keep guests safe.

The dog's heroic owner, Mike McCoy, recounted the scary scene: "He was in the death roll with that old gator."

Mike McCoy did not hesitate to dive in and rescue his pet dog Jake after the pooch was pulled down into the water.

The alligator began to try and pull me back into the water. I was trying to pull back away from him, too. Because when an alligator has its grip on you, their next move is to try and do a death roll.

The woman is recovering in hospital following the attack at Okatie on Friday.

"The individual was videoing the alligator and walked up to the water's edge while the gator was still fully immersed," said Department of Natural Resources Assistant Chief of Wildlife Sam Chappelear.

The woman was reported to have been about four feet from the edge of the pond before she was dragged into the water by the alligator.

Officials have warned residents in the area of the attack to be vigilant when walking near ponds or lagoons.

"We got a happy ending with this one, it is a good ending. They don't always happen that way," said lieutenant Rob Gerkin, of the FWC, after the man and dog survived the gator attack.

During the study period, there were 22 confirmed fatal attacks.

"It was so shocking that it came around behind us the way that it did," the child's grandfather Clifford Gregg told local media, describing the June 1 incident.

The man was reportedly attacked after approaching the side of a pond to scare away a bird.

Police are now trying to catch and remove the alligator.

Experts say running away, making a noise and fighting back is the best way to survive a gator encounter.