(defeo.biz) — So, just how dangerous are alligators in Florida?
A 2-year-old toddler was apparently snatched by an alligator this week at Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa near the Magic Kingdom, according to published reports. While tragic, numbers indicate bites are relatively rare.
Here are some facts about alligators:
- There are an estimated 1.3 million wild alligators in Florida
- Alligators are found in all 67 counties in Florida
- Female alligators rarely exceed 10 feet in length, while male alligators can grow larger
- The Florida state length record was a male alligator that measured a 14 feet, 3.5 inches long; it was taken from Lake Washington in Brevard County
- The Florida state weight record was 1,043 pounds, a male that measured 13 feet, 10.5 inches long from Orange Lake in Alachua County
- There have been more than 383 alligator bites of humans since 1948, 257 of which were considered major
- At least 23 people have been killed in Florida by an alligator since 1973
- Since 1948, when the first severe bite of a person was recorded, there have been roughly five unprovoked bites every year, but the rate is increasing at a rate of 3 percent every year
- The likelihood of a Florida resident being seriously injured during an unprovoked alligator attack is approximately 1 in 2.4 million
- In 2007, there were 13,000 nuisance alligator complaints, and 10,000 alligators were removed
Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
