Elderly alligator-attack victim stable after undergoing surgery at ORMC

The elderly Lake County woman who lost her right arm during an alligator attack last week is in stable condition today after undergoing surgery at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Carol Hough, 84, underwent surgeries Friday and Saturday and she is in stable condition in ORMC's intensive-care unit, said Lt. Joy Hill, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

State wildlife officials trapped and killed the alligator suspected of biting off Hough's right arm Wednesday after she ended up in a canal behind her mobile home south of Leesburg.

The 7-foot-5 male gator was captured near the canal near Cypress Creek Mobile Home Park where the attack occurred. A hamburger patty in the gator's stomach suggested people may have been feeding the animals in the canal.

Officials still have not explained how Hough ended up in the canal.

Continued and film:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-elderly-gator-attack-stable-arm-torn-off-20120929,0,3665976.story

Grandfather Saves Dog From Alligator's Jaws

A US grandfather wrestled with an alligator after seeing his pet dog being dragged into the water in the animal's jaws.

Stephen Gustafson said he took a "flying leap" on to the creature's back to save his West Highland Terrier, named Bounce.

The 66-year-old was trimming branches on an oak tree outside his home in Lake County, Florida, when the gator attacked his dog.

"She let out a really high pitched, what I call 'yelp,' and I looked up and the gator had her in his mouth and was taking her far out," he told Fox News.

"I knew if I needed to react, it had to be quick.

"I saw the dog moving into the water and ran down the short hill in my backyard and just took a flying leap and landed flat on the back of the alligator."

Mr Gustafson said the tussle lasted about 30 seconds before he was able to free Bounce - after which the gator went for his hand.

"We were all under water," he said,

"My main objective was to get the dog to the surface for air.

"(The alligator) didn't bite (my hand) and hold. It was more of a snapping. He went to bite again and his jaws came close but I grabbed his jaw and pinned it shut."

The alligator eventually swam away, but was eventually trapped and is being preserved for Mr Gustafson's family.

"It's going to be an heirloom for future generations to see what their crazy great-grandfather did," he said.

Continued:  http://uk.news.yahoo.com/grandfather-saves-dog-alligators-jaws-082235433.html

GRAPHIC: Teen loses arm in alligator attack

MOORE HAVEN, Fla. — A Moore Haven, Florida teen lost his right arm from the elbow down in an alligator attack Monday.

The gator attacked while 17-year-old Kaleb Langdale was swimming with friends in the Caloosahatchee River.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Jorge Pino said the 11-foot gator was found and killed Monday evening after the attack.

Officials said the arm was found inside the gator.

“This area isn’t Disneyland. It’s right next to Lake Okeechobee and there are thousands of alligators here,” FWC Captain Jeff Ardelean said.

Langdale was flown to Lee Memorial Hospital after the attack.

The arm was sent to the hospital as well but friends said doctors were not able to reattach the limb.

Friends who were with Langdale at the time of the attack said they were in no way taunting the gator.

They said it seemed to have come out of nowhere.

“It came at him and he put his arm in the way instead of letting it get to his body. It took his arm and him under,” friend Matt Baker said.

Another friend, Gary Beck, said Langdale popped out of the water shortly after the attack.

“He was waving saying, ‘Call the paramedics! My arm is gone!’” Beck said.

“It was scary. I couldn’t believe it was real at the moment,” Baker said.

Officials with FWC explained this is a bad time for swimming because it’s alligator mating season and that attacks during this time of year are not uncommon.

“Any type of splash in the water is prey for them,” Capt. Ardelean said.

Beck and Baker said Langdale was in good spirits.

They said he was just happy the gator got his right arm instead of his left because that is what he uses to steer his airboat.

http://kfor.com/2012/07/10/graphic-teen-loses-arm-in-alligator-attack/

9-foot alligator attacks man going for dip in creek near homeless camp

James Wimmer did what he usually does to cool off Monday. At around 5 p.m., the air feeling like 99 degrees, he decided to jump in a creek.

His friend, J.C. Goodwin, said Wimmer stopped by the homeless campsite in the woods east of South Main Street to say hi before walking down to the water.

Goodwin, 52, didn't think anything of it when he heard a splash.

Then came the screams. "It was this horrific roar," he said.

Wimmer had been attacked by an alligator.

Goodwin ran down the bank, where he saw Wimmer backing away from a 9-foot alligator. Wimmer's left shoulder was shredded, with deep teeth marks creating half-moon bites on his front and back. His arm hung limp as he tried to run away.

Goodwin grabbed a nearby cinder block, hoisted it and heaved it at the animal. The concrete block broke into pieces when it landed on the alligator's head.

"I was just trying to get him to go the other way," Goodwin said.

It worked. As Goodwin dragged his friend up the creek to a shallow bank, another friend used Wimmer's cellphone to call for help.

Within minutes, emergency responders arrived and took Wimmer away to Shands at the University of Florida. As of late Monday night, authorities did not know the man's condition, and the hospital did not report a man named James Wimmer as a patient.

An hour later, "Three Legs" the alligator was dead. When trappers from the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission arrived, the decision was made quickly.

"He was on death row," Goodwin said.

Most people at the camp knew that Three Legs, named after the number of appendages he had, liked to hang around the creek.

To the community that lives in the homeless camp near the intersection of Williston Road and Southeast 16th Avenue, Three Legs was their mascot. He was almost a pet.

"I was sad they shot him," said Jennifer Schoendignst, 31, who frequents the area and had seen Three Legs many times before.

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120611/articles/120619938?tc=ar

Video shows gator attacking fisherman in kayak

CASSELBERRY, Fla. -

A local fisherman with a head-mounted camera captured an alligator attack while he was fishing for bass in a Casselberry lake.

Thomas Swiader said he was fishing in Triplet Lake last Wednesday around 7 p.m. when an alligator slammed into his kayak and came out of the water far enough to hit his arm.

"It was just pure, pure fear at a certain point," Swiader said.

He said his girlfriend's Yorkie, Buffy, got thrown out of the boat after the impact, but he was able to grab her leash and immediately pull her back in.

Read on and watch video at:  http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Gator-attacks-fisherman-in-kayak-caught-on-video/-/1637132/12774450/-/q5jfymz/-/index.html