Major new details have surfaced regarding an alligator attack that killed a woman in Florida back in May. 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema died while canoeing with her husband at Lake Kissimmee State Park.
Sadly, an 11-foot alligator attacked and killed the woman as her husband was helpless to watch. Now, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is sharing more details with KETV. "The victim was immediately bitten on the torso, and efforts by her husband to assist her were unsuccessful," according to the report. "The alligator performed a death roll and swam away with the victim."
The FWC recently partnered with GatorWise for "a new public awareness campaign that aims to promote realistic public perceptions about alligators and assist the public in taking appropriate actions to minimize conflict."
Alligator Attack
One of the officials spoke out about the partnership. There are 1.3 million alligators in the state of Florida. Florida is a hot spot for alligator attacks.
"Florida has seen tremendous population growth in recent years, with many people living or recreating near water," Matthew Nichols, FWC alligator management program coordinator, said of the partnership. "Because alligators can be found in nearly any water in Florida, it's safest to always assume they're present. GatorWise provides consistent, science-based information from across the Southeast to help people safely share the landscape with these important animals."
In 2024, there were 11 alligator bites, down from 23 in 2023. GatorWise is trying to educate the public about the reptiles. They are hopeful that an increased awareness will decrease the number of attacks in the state.
"Alligators are native to many wetlands of the southeastern United States, making them critical to the health and balance of these ecosystems," the site says. "Minimizing conflicts with people while maintaining necessary protections from overharvest is crucial to keeping alligator populations stable within their range."
"To do that we must Educate people about alligators, while increasing Respect for these animals and their natural behaviors, which will allow for alligators and humans to Coexist."
