Massive alligator attacks young swimmer in nature preserve despite posted warning

The incident happened Monday afternoon at Weeki Wachee Preserve in Hernando County, according to a Facebook post from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.

The victim, who has not been identified, suffered puncture wounds to the arm and leg after being bitten by an alligator estimated to be between 9 and 12 feet long, according to officials. 

Following the attack, the victim and several others became isolated on a sandbar and were unable to safely make it back to the mainland.

Hernando County Fire Rescue responded around 2:30 p.m. alongside the sheriff's office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The victim was then transported to Bayonet Point Hospital for further treatment.

"That's really kind of the root of the issue here: You're swimming in the no-swimming zone," Gillette said of the incident. "We're very fortunate that the kid did survive."

He added, "If you're going to go swimming, only go swimming in designated swimming zones where we know there are not alligators."

"The three biggest problems that we run into [are] people swimming in [an] alligator habitat, people feeding the alligators, or [people] having kids and pets near the water's edge," he said.

He also discussed why a person swimming in an alligator habitat can be particularly vulnerable.

When an alligator is in the water, its eyes sit only about an inch above the surface, Gillette said. 

From that perspective, the animal may see only a swimmer's head and arms moving through the water.

To the alligator, "you look like small prey," he said.

"My advice is don't end up there in the first place," he said. "It's incredibly dangerous even for someone who knows what they're doing."

A licensed Florida wildlife trapper responded to the preserve following the attack and placed traps for the alligator, according to the sheriff's office.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is handling the investigation related to the swimming violation, authorities said.

The sheriff's office also urged visitors to use caution around waterways and follow posted rules and restrictions.

"Do not swim in areas where swimming is prohibited," the sheriff's office wrote.