A 43-year-old man was attackedby an alligatorand treated for a "serious injury in his arm" onJuly 20and a 34-year-old man was bit on his face during a swim in a Florida lake onAug. 4. On Monday morning police responded to a report of an alligator attack at a pond inside the Sun City . The HCPD said its death investigation remains underway. The fatal alligator attack in South Carolina on Friday was the first in the state since May 2020. While he was unaware of the details of Mondays alligator attack, Mr. Butfiloski said that such attacks typically happen when a person is near the edge of a body of water, and occur more frequently when a person is accompanied by a pet. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A man was killed on Friday after being dragged into a retention pond by an alligator near Myrtle Beach, S.C., the first such deadly attack in the state since 2020, the authorities said. The situation . Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Associate Editor, Human Interest - PEOPLE. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Its also very important for humans to keep their distance from these creatures, experts stress. Alligators will often reposition its bite, take advantage of that to get away. It was at least the fourth deadly alligator attack in the United States so far this year. Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. People building homes where alligators live have caused the increase in attacks, Mazzotti, a wildlife expert with the University of Floridas Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, tells TIME. All rights reserved. Early in the year, when water is cooler, its common to see them on the banks sunning themselves. Before Fridays deadly attack, the most recent incident was a 44-year-old teacher in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina who was killed by an alligator while walking her dog near a lagoon in the gated community of Sea Pines. In 1962, Fraser walked alongside an alligator named Albert for a magazine photoshoot that attracted attention from around the world. Weeks earlier, Florida police found a deceased 47-year-old man in agator-infested lakemissing three limbs after a likely encounter with alligators. The creature is most abundant in Louisiana and Florida, with each state having a population of over 1 million alligators. This same shark off the coast of the Outer Banks began its tracking in . One officer was able to shoot the animal as it surfaced again, police said. ': Hot, hungry alligators are taking lonely strolls in Florida. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. A-Z Animals reports that a 1,500-pound great white shark is off the coast of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. According to the report, Covert's friend yelled at her not to get closer, but she continued off the back steps towards where the alligator was located, CBS affiliate WCSC reported. According to a 2019 University of Florida analysis, venomous injuries largely from contact with hornets, wasps and bees resulted in an average of more than 56 fatalities per year in the United States, compared with about one per year from alligator attacks. There could be more that we arent aware of, SCDNR alligator program director, Jay Butfiloski previously said,. The victim was identified as 88-year-old Nancy Becker, ABC News reports. His recommendation for anyone who does get attacked by an alligator: Fight like your life depends on it., Poke the gator in the eyes and try to ram your hand down its throat, he advises. T he death of Cassandra Cline, a 45-year-old . Kilborn urged people to follow these safety tips: alligators are most active at night, so only swim in designated swimming areas during daylight hours; never feed an alligator; and keep your pets on a leash and away from the water's edge. Rescuers determined that an alligator took hold of a neighbor who was near the edge of a retention pond and retreated into it, the department said in a statement. Mazzotti says people need to be aware of their surrounding when they are near water or in areas where they have been alligator sightings. Such attacks are rare in the United States, typically occurring about once a year, but the latest one on Friday was the second in less than a month. Mazzoti said you're more than likely to drown in water than be attacked by an alligator. Alligator attacks, like one after which a woman was found dead near Hilton Head Island, S.C., are rare but not surprising, said Maj. Angela Viens of the Beaufort County sheriffs office. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? a man was killed looking for Frisbees on May 31 in Florida, another manwas killed near a retention pond in South Carolina on June 24, an 80-year-old Florida woman was killed along a golf course, run-ins with the reptiles near their homes, What to know if you're bitten by a rattlesnake, What should you do if you see a bear? A 90-year-old woman walked out of a Charleston nursing home in 2016 andwas killed, while a 45-year-old woman walking her dog wasfatally attacked on Hilton Head Islandin August 2018. On the call, a neighbor who "just happened to look" outside when the attack occurred can be heard frantically telling the 911 operator "the alligator's got her" and to "please hurry," according to ABC affiliate WPBF. Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. Four Fatal Gator Attacks in 76 Days Is a Statistical Anomaly. A woman in South Carolina was killed by an alligator Monday, the state's second deadly attack this year, authorities said.The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and other emergency services were at . When officers arrived, they found a large alligator by the edge of a pond near the body of an unidentified woman, police said. Elderly South Carolina Woman Killed by an Alligator After Falling into Pond. The first one was not fatal, she added. A woman was killed in an alligator attack Monday in South Carolina,officials confirmed,in what has become an unusual year for alligator attacks. "It's too late," the neighbor said. Florida, which has the most human-alligator interactions, has recorded 24 deadly alligator attacks since 1948 but 14 of those have occurred in the last 20 years, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal, according to the police report released Monday. The latest was at least the fourth in the United States since May and the second this year in South Carolina. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Woman killed in South Carolina gator attack, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? Alligator attacks are very rare, even in Louisiana and Florida. An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. Her death has been. Witness To Fatal SC Alligator Attack Said Victim Was 4 Feet From Pond And Warned Of Danger, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, 100,000 alligators live in South Carolina, South Carolina Beach Access Battle: Lowcountry Residents Turning On Each Other, SC Coronavirus: Projected Death Toll Skyrockets As Cases Climb, LIVE FEED Murdaugh Murders Trial: Day Twenty-Seven, South Carolina Freedom Caucus Files Lawsuit, Murdaugh Murders Trial: Attorney General Stands And Delivers. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital The Horry County Fire Rescue Department told ABC News it had no further information as of Monday morning. On Aug. 11, Bruce Savage took his dog, Hanna, for a morning walk near. A man has died after an alligator attack in Myrtle Beach, S.C., June 24, 2022. An autopsy Monday found Covert died of drowning, the Charleston County Coroners Office said. This attack is the fourth reported in Charleston County history, according to SCDNR records. Serge was remembered by loved ones as being a "good friend. Nationally, between 1948 and August 2004, 376 injuries and 15 deaths as a result of alligator encounters were reported in the U.S., which means one reported death every three to four years,according to a 2004 studyin the peer-revieWilderness & Environmental Medicine journal. She kept yelling as Covert crept closer to the gator. Shizuka Matsuki, 47, was last seen walking her two dogs in South Florida before her body was found miles away in a lake in Davie, Florida. The deadly attack, in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., was at least the fourth in the country this year. The victim has not been identified. 1:39 A person in South Carolina was killed by an alligator Friday near a community retention pond outside Myrtle Beach, authorities said. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. SCDNR officials have estimated that 100,000 alligators live in South Carolina. Authorities previously confirmed to PEOPLE that Gloria Serge was "walking her small dog along a retention pool" in the Ft. Pierce community where she lived when an alligator, estimated to be around 10-feet long, "pulled her into the water.". The area in the Outer Banks is a favorite hangout spot for great white sharks, apparently. Please enter valid email address to continue. Despite what seems to be increasing frequency, Mazzotti says attacks are still remarkably rare, considering the number of alligators in southeastern U.S. But fatal gator attacks are rare. Alligators tend to be more active at night, Mr. Butfiloski said, and come out around dusk. Deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman on Friday, authorities said. That said, South Carolina's Post and Courier reports that the state recorded five deaths resulting from alligator attacks between 2016 and 2022 but none in the previous 16 years. "Our prayers go out to the loved ones of the victim and the Spanish Lakes' residents who knew the victim and witnessed the attack," Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a statement shared on social media. Alligators do not have an instinct to attack humans, he says. A woman killed by an alligator at a South Carolina pond told a friend she wanted to get close to the animal and didn't scream as it attacked her and dragged her . An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, according to the Charleston County Sheriffs Office. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter:@jordan_mendoza5. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. A South Carolina woman was rescued by a neighbor Thursday morning during a violent alligator attack in the state, authorities said. A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal, according to the police report released Monday. She survived the incident. "Anywhere there is standing water, an alligator might be found," The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement to USA TODAY. / CBS News. She was a good friend to a lot of people in the park.". A person in South Carolina was killed after being dragged into a retention pond by an alligator near Myrtle Beach on Friday, authorities said. Alligators typically breed and look for new habitats inthe spring and summertime, meaning there could be an increase in alligator activity. When we got there thats exactly what we found, said Maj. Angela Viens, a public information officer with the Beaufort County sheriffs office. Also make yourself appear as big as possible, the bigger you appear, the less likely the gator is to engage.. When it gets really hot in the summer, a lot of time theyll spend time below the water, where its cooler.. This is at least the third fatal alligator attack in South Carolina in the past four years. Sun City Hilton Head, a residential community for older adults that has many ponds, is about 15 miles west of Hilton Head Island and covers roughly nine square miles. The 10-foot alligator, estimated at 400-500 pounds, then attacked Covert, who officials said was 5 feet tall and 100 pounds. The South Carolina woman rescued by her neighbor as she was being attacked by an alligator is the second woman to have been attacked in such a manner on Hilton Head Island in only three years . Alligators only attack when threatened or cornered, but if a human is in water with alligators, it may entice them. Police said the victim, whose identity has not been released yet, was recovered from the pond and the alligator was removed. The dog survived the attack, per the FWC. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "Splashing in the water will attract analligators interest, and if it perceives at that point in time that there's something smaller and weaker in the water, it might attack it," Mazzoti said. "I think she's gone. The Florida conservation commission said in November 2021 there were 442 unprovoked alligator bites in Florida from 1948 to 2021, averaging six a year. The black Labrador retriever mix was standing up to his. The authorities did not release the victims name, age or other circumstances about the attack. It was at. A Florida man was killed by an alligator while retrieving frisbees from a lake in Largo on May 31. "Our hearts go out to the family and community members impacted by this tragic incident," a statement from police said. They aren't the only run-ins people have had with the creatures. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is investigating the incident, the latest in a small string of fatal alligator attacks this summer. 14 of those attacks occurred in Beaufort County according to SCDNR records. And you know, she's been alone. CLICK HERE. A person in South Carolina was killed after being dragged into a retention pond by an alligator near Myrtle Beach on Friday, authorities said. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. According to police, the victim, identified as Sean Thomas McGuinness, 47, was believed to have entered the lake at night. She stated her husband tried hitting the alligator as the alligator kept dragging her friend back into the water.. She saw an alligator and was fascinated by it and went to touch it, against her friends warning. Leanne Golino. From our records, there wasnt an attack from 1915 to 1976, but that could just be because they werent newsworthy back then.. Magazines, Digital Alligator Attacks and Kills Florida Woman, 85, Who Was Walking Her Dog. The witness said Covert was not acting like her normal self. She said she was cleaning up and noticed her friend on the back steps, very close to the alligator. When deputies arrived, the alligator kept surfacing with Covert and going under. The witness told police that her friend, later identified as 58-year-old Cynthia Covert, of Johns Island, was visiting her home Friday afternoon. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The Associated Press. Covert, of Johns Island, made no sound as the alligator pulled her under, the woman told police. Ones as being a `` good friend alligator that fatally attacked a woman Friday! 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