A kayaking trip in Florida ended in disaster after an alligator attacked at least 20 kayakers. The brutal attack caused one woman to have a nearly severed arm.
The incident happened back in March. But new details about what happened have come to light. According to 7News Miami, the kayakers were paddling along a canal in Polk County. That's when an alligator attacked the group. According to 64-year-old Christiane Salvador, the attack too the group by surprise. She said that she felt something bump into her paddle as she neared Tiger Creek.
Christiane didn't think it was an alligator. Of course, she didn't have a lot of time to ponder what it might be. The animal caused her kayak to flip sending her into the water. The alligator then latched down on her arm as she fought to try not to drown. It was a struggle to even keep her head above the water.
"There's an alligator on my arm," she screamed. She had been kayaking with her husband Philip. Realizing his partner was in distress, he came to her aid. He managed to lift her on top of her overturned kayak. However, the reptile still had a hold of her arm, which was under the water.
Alligator Attacks Kayakers
Another kayaker came to help the couple. But the reptile quickly turned its attention to him and ripped into his lifejacket. The alligator dragged him under the water. But he did two things that saved his life. He managed to stick his fingers in the reptile's eyes. He also managed to unhook his life jacket, freeing himself from the reptile.
It then swam away with his life jacket. Florida Wildlife officials later tracked down and euthanized the gator. They believed that the reptile may have been trying to protect her hatchlings. This would explain the aggressive behavior. Meanwhile, Christiane will need several surgeries to fix her arm.
"If you walk out back, and you're sitting in your lawn chair, and all of a sudden a parade of 20 people just walk through your backyard, you are going to feel like you need to defend your space," Titterington said. "When a female has her babies, they are very defensive, high protection, because they have to protect their babies from other male gators as well."
