Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers harvested two large alligators from the Econlockhatchee River in Seminole County following a fatal incident that claimed the life of a 31-year-old Orlando woman. The attack occurred on Sunday, June 28, while the victim was swimming near the Barr Street Trailhead within Little Big Econ State Forest. According to officials, DNA analysis will be conducted at the FWC’s Gainesville laboratory to determine if one of the euthanized animals is responsible for the assault.
Details of the Incident
The woman had been hiking in the area with friends when they decided to enter the water. Officers reported that she was swimming in approximately three feet of depth when the attack occurred. Her boyfriend managed to retrieve her from the alligator, but she sustained severe bite wounds on both arms. She died while being transported to a nearby hospital around 1:30 p.m.
911 audio released by authorities captures the traumatic scene as companions report the victim was losing significant blood and suffering extreme pain. One caller described her injuries as "basically off," noting the severity of the trauma before emergency responders arrived. The woman remains unidentified while FWC works to notify her family members, as reported by Snorkeler Survives Scary Alligator Attack on Orlando River During Summer Outing.
FWC Response and Investigation
Lt. Grant Eller stated that a 13-foot alligator was harvested exactly at the incident scene, while a second gator measuring 12 feet long was taken from just a short distance away. Both animals matched witness descriptions of "a very large alligator." Lt. Chad Weber emphasized during a June 29 press conference in Titusville that any freshwater body in Florida can contain alligators and always presents potential risks to swimmers.
Weber cited drought conditions, lower water levels, the end of mating seasons, and territorial behavior as possible contributing factors to the attack. "It’s impossible to speculate about what the exact reason was," Weber said, noting that the woman did not appear to be acting maliciously toward the animal prior to the incident, BBC reported.
Context on Alligator Encounters
Alligator attacks in Florida remain rare despite a state population estimated at 1.3 million. FWC records indicate there have been only 32 fatal alligator attacks out of approximately 500 total incidents since 1948. Last year saw two alligator-related fatalities across the state.
FWC continues to monitor for other candidate animals in the water nearby while awaiting DNA results from the Gainesville lab, a process that may take several days. Lt. Eller reminded residents and visitors that American alligators can be present in any body of water at any time, with increased aggression possible during summer mating seasons.
