What to do if an alligator attacks you

This article isn’t meant to explain how to fence your property to keep gators out, or tell you not to swim in places where there may be alligators. Nor will we go into great detail about how you should be aware of places where alligators are regularly spotted, or advise that you should never walk or jog near the edge of waters that are alligator habitats.

This article is about what to do if you’re being attacked by an alligator. And it’s for those who live in the Southernmost states and you know that gator attacks are rare, but are frequently on the water and want to know what to do if a gator suddenly attacks.

What locals need to know about gators

The first thing a person needs to know about gators, just in case they didn’t already know, is that alligators are ambush predators.

Now that doesn’t mean that alligators are patrolling the shoreline, waiting for you or your unsuspecting dog to show up. See, alligators don’t sit around and dream of eating your Pomeranian the way that some humans sit around and dream of eating alligators.

Alligators have much higher culinary standards. They prefer to eat bugs, frogs, beavers, raccoons, deer, wild hogs, rats, nutria, rabbits, fish, turtles, snakes, birds, wild fruits, or the occasional brown bear. But as alligator habitat is lost to “progress,” problems arise.

Wild alligators are instinctual creatures, and they’re a bit snappy when they’re hungry, (Just like you are when the pizza deliveryman is standing at the door and your mouth has already started watering.) So if you happen to be near a hangry alligator, or perhaps an alligator that is in defensive mode because it’s mating season or time to protect newly hatched babies, beware!

If an alligator suddenly attacks you run away from the water as fast as you can.

And know that a gator attack can come out of seemingly nowhere and happen fast. You can be standing in knee-deep water on the shore of a lake, a river, or a bayou, throwing a stick into the water so your dog can play fetch. You might not have ever seen an alligator in the area.

Suddenly, just as your dog is swimming out into deeper water while chasing after the stick, you hear a massive splash in the distance. You glance over and see a 10-12′ long alligator swimming straight for your Golden Retriever.

What do you do? Your dog is still swimming toward the stick, oblivious. Next thing you know, without even thinking it through, you find yourself standing in the water between the gator and your dog. You’re yelling “No!” as if alligators know English. (They don’t.)

Suddenly the gator changes directions and is now coming at you.

So what do you do?

Humans have one strong advantage over gators. Most of us can run faster than a gator, even those of us who are not in our best possible physical shape. If you can get away from an approaching alligator by running, run like the wind! Run fast, and run in a straight line. Do not zig-zag. (That’s just an old wives’ tale that does not work.) So run, run, run, but don’t run in a zig-zag. And when you want to look back, remember that alligators have more than 80 teeth and they bite down with a force of 3000 pounds per square inch!

But what do you do if a gator comes after you when you’re in the water? If you’re swimming in a lake, river, or bayou and you see a gator nearby, freeze. Don’t draw attention to yourself. Don’t panic. And stay calm because the odds are in your favor.

But if you’re in the water and you can’t escape from an alligator, for whatever reason(s), and you find yourself being attacked, consider these last-ditch efforts:

• Attack the gator’s snout

• Attack the gator’s eyes, because contrary to popular opinion alligators do have great eyesight and they prefer to keep it that way

• If an alligator is biting you, wait until it tries to reposition its bite on you and quickly pull away.

• Punch and kick as hard as you can.

• Fight with all you’ve got.

• Stuff things into the gator’s mouth.

• Swim away and run, run, run!

Alligator attacks are so rare that it’s likely you’ll never be attacked by an alligator. It’s also likely that if you are attacked, you’ll live from it.

The alligator issue

It’s important for humans to preserve healthy habitats where alligators can live, breathe, breed, and hunt. And though some humans have developed irrational fears of alligators, which is not to be confused with rational fears of alligators, the fact of the matter is that alligators were in the New World long before the United States became a nation.

And they are an ancient species that should be respected.

Not long ago, alligators were almost hunted to extinction. They were on the endangered species list in the United States during much of the 20th century. But with help from mankind this incredible, prehistoric species has made a comeback.

Now humanity must learn how to live with these incredible creatures.

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