Alligator attacks, kills woman canoeing on central Florida lake

Lake Wales, Fla. — An alligator attacked and killed a woman on a central Florida lake Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

The attack occurred near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee, south of Orlando, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a news release.

A woman was canoeing when she encountered an alligator and “went into the water,” the FWC said. The woman was later recovered from the water and declared dead.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies and marine units assisted with the search. The woman had been with another person at the time of the attack, sheriff’s officials said.

Investigators didn’t release any details about the attack or the alligator. A contracted nuisance alligator trapper has been dispatched to the area.

Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida, officials said. The FWC administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.

The FWC says people there and everywhere should heed this advice:

• Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator.
• Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge. Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey. 
• Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. 
• Never feed an alligator. It’s illegal and dangerous. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to an alligator becoming a nuisance and needing to be removed from the wild.