A 31-year-old woman was reportedly attacked and killed by an alligator Sunday while swimming in the Econlockhatchee River in Seminole County, Florida.
While the death has raised concerns about alligator attacks, numbers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission show that alligator attacks are more common than they were decades ago, but they remain rare.
State data show 500 unprovoked bites since 1948, when the state started keeping records. Of those, 346 were classified as major bites, including fatalities, while 153 were minor bites. Fewer than three dozen, 32, fatalities have been reported since 1948, making this weekend’s attack the 33rd in 78 years.
In the last 20 years, annual bites have generally ranged from 8 to 16, with occasional spikes. Some attacks, such as the death of a two-year-old at Walt Disney World, have made worldwide headlines.
Notably, 2023 was an outlier, with 23 unprovoked bites — the highest annual total on record — including 18 major bites and two fatalities, nearly double the typical recent year.
In 2024, bite numbers returned closer to normal levels. The state recorded 13 bites — eight major, five minor and two fatalities — below 2023’s spike but consistent with the long-term pattern.
The bottom line is that while tragic, fatal attacks remain exceptionally uncommon: 32 deaths over 78 years average to less than one every two years, with many years seeing no fatalities at all.
Be the first to comment