Weve always looked at the alligators as a part of the community, he said. And you know, she's been alone. A deputy shot and killed an alligator closest to the womans body upon arrival to the scene. The fatal alligator attack in South Carolina on Friday was the first in the state since May 2020. Mazzoti added alligators "don't perceive humans as either a threat or as food.". In July, an elderly woman waskilled by two alligatorsin a pond near her Florida home. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? "He's so frightened," she told the operator. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. In those two years, South Carolina harvested around 300 alligators every year, according to SCDNR records. In Fridays killing, the authorities responded around 11:45 a.m. to a water-rescue call, the Horry County Police Department said in a statement. However, this is the second fatal attack in a month. Also make yourself appear as big as possible, the bigger you appear, the less likely the gator is to engage.. The woman's husband and another man tried beating the alligator with shovels, but the animal swam deeper, the police report said. A biologist and a contracted alligator removal service from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources determined the alligator should be humanely euthanized on site, according to police. If an alligator attacks, experts say to poke at its eyes and punch and kick it around the head. 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. Fatal alligator attacks are rare in the United States. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. ': Hot, hungry alligators are taking lonely strolls in Florida. The body of an 88-year-old woman who was killed by an alligator was discovered on Monday in a pond in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., officials said. The authorities did not release the victims name, age or other circumstances about the attack. One officer was able to shoot the animal as it surfaced again, police said. "Our hearts go out to the family and community members impacted by this tragic incident," a statement from police said. One officer was able to shoot the animal as it surfaced again, police said. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? She was a good friend to a lot of people in the park.". Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Alligator attacks are rare, and there's an even slimmer chance of being killed by one. Got a tip for a story? 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"I see her," the neighbor said with audible emotion in her voice. An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. 1:39 A person in South Carolina was killed by an alligator Friday near a community retention pond outside Myrtle Beach, authorities said. The victim in the May attack in Florida was identified as Sean Thomas McGuinness. However, the study at the time cited the need for a "uniform reporting system among states" to get more complete information on alligator encounters. The Beaufort County Sheriffs Office responded to a 911 call at 11:15 a.m. on Monday from a Sun City Hilton Head resident who reported that a large alligator was guarding a human body. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is investigating the incident, the latest in a small string of fatal alligator attacks this summer. An estimated 5 million wild American alligators live across 10 states in Southeast and beyond - even in the southeastern tip of Oklahoma. Leanne Golino. Despite what seems to be increasing frequency, Mazzotti says attacks are still remarkably rare, considering the number of alligators in southeastern U.S. Last summer, a 68-year-old woman was hospitalized after an alligator attack in Sun City-Hilton Head, the Island Packet repotted. The first was an elderly woman in Charleston County in 2016. Universal Images Group via Getty Images, FILE. Everybody treats them with a healthy respect. Police were notified around 11 . An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. Prior to that attack, an unidentified victim died after analligatordragged them into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Aug. 15, 2022 The body of an 88-year-old woman who was killed by an alligator was discovered on Monday in a pond in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., officials said. The victim has not been identified. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. Messages left for the department were not immediately returned on Sunday. A woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, police said. Watch Live: Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Intel review says "very unlikely" foreign adversary behind "Havana Syndrome", Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. According to SCDNR South Carolina has had only three fatal alligator attacks in its recorded history and each occurred within the last four years. While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common. Theyre not going to chase you down the fairway in these golfing communities., Alligator Kills 88-Year-Old Woman in South Carolina, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/15/us/alligator-attack-south-carolina.html. 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. Fraser actually marketed the Sea Pines Resort using the allure of alligators. 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.". Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? Texas Parks and Wildlifesays a safe distance away from an alligator is at least 30 feet, and while extremely rare for them to chase humans, they can run up to 35 mph for a short period of time. Jay Butfiloski, the furbearer and alligator program coordinator with the states Natural Resources Department, said that it had seen an increased frequency over the past couple years in alligator attacks but its still a pretty rare event.. In July, a 75-year-old Callawassie Island woman was trimming plants near a community pond when an alligator latched onto her and pulled her into . The HCPD said its death investigation remains underway. Over the course of the phone call, which lasted for over eight minutes, the neighbor said she had gone to get a pole to rescue the woman after the attack. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital In 1962, Fraser walked alongside an alligator named Albert for a magazine photoshoot that attracted attention from around the world. The unidentified woman. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Then, the gator bit his leg. "She was walking her little dog, and the gator grabbed the dog," the neighbor added. While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common as more humans move to alligator-populated areas. Don't turn and run, expert warns. Alligators are found throughout the Southeast and wetlands, with their range stretching as far west as eastern Texas, and as far east as coastal North Carolina, according toThe National Wildlife Federation. ST. LUCIE COUNTY Three more alligators have been removed from the Spanish Lakes Fairways community in northern St. Lucie County after an 85-year-old woman died following a Monday alligator . Charleston County harvested at least 162 alligators between 2017- 2018, while Beaufort County harvested 104 in that time. Alligators will often reposition its bite, take advantage of that to get away. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. As of August, there were 23 total alligator attacks since 1915, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The attack occurred near a lagoon on Hilton Head Island on the state's. The dog survived the attack, per the FWC. Alligators only attack when threatened or cornered, but if a human is in water with alligators, it may entice them. "I think she's gone. We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! The woman found dead in an alligator attack in Sun City Hilton Head on Monday has been identified as an 88-year-old resident of the community, according to the Beaufort County Coroner's Office . Theyre a part of nature., He called Fridays death a tragic, freak accident.. Jason Repak, who lives in the same community as the victim, snapped a photo of three alligators behind his condominium last month and posted it on social media. Experts explain why. Alligators do not have an instinct to attack humans, he says. Its also very important for humans to keep their distance from these creatures, experts stress. CBS affiliate WCSC-TV reports that the coroner identified the victim as Cynthia . All Rights Reserved. A-Z Animals reports that a 1,500-pound great white shark is off the coast of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter:@jordan_mendoza5. A person walking their dog discovered his body along the shoreline the next morning, the police said. "Anytime you show up next to water, you're assuming some risk Don't tempt it.". This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. A baby alligator was spotted running on the loose outside of a South Carolina Starbucks recently. Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. "It's too late," the neighbor said. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. Alligators tend to be more active at night, Mr. Butfiloski said, and come out around dusk. You try to maintain distance from the banks, and when you see them out, you admire them from afar. 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. When it gets really hot in the summer, a lot of time theyll spend time below the water, where its cooler.. She survived the incident. The HCPD and the Horry County Coroner's Office did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. In South Carolina, they can be found in the states coastal marshlands, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Market data provided by Factset. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. One person has been killed in a fatal alligator attack in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A woman who was attacked by an alligator Thursday on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina was rescued by a neighbor who hit the animal with a shovel, authorities said. The victim was identified as 88-year-old Nancy Becker, ABC News reports. The unnamed victim was found last Friday around 11:45 a.m. near Excalaber Court outside of . The pond in which the body was found is surrounded by houses on all sides, said Major Viens, noting that it was the second alligator attack in the gated community in five years. The body of an 88-year-old woman was found near a pond in a gated community near Hilton Head, South Carolina, after what authorities suspect was an alligator attack. 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. 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. "She fell down and [it] took her.". The body of a man who had been retrieving Frisbees from a lake in Largo, Fla., which serves as a habitat for alligators, was found on May 31. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Covert, of Johns Island, made no sound as the alligator pulled her under, the woman told police. Mazzotti says people need to be aware of their surrounding when they are near water or in areas where they have been alligator sightings. 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 . The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says licensed hunters remove over 1,000 nuisance alligators which are any ones deemeda "threat to pets, livestock or humans" a year, and attack reports in the state are usually just encounters. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. This was the first fatal attack in the state by an alligator since May 2020. Covert never screamed during the deadly attack, the woman told police. 8/16/2022. Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. First published on August 15, 2022 / 7:30 PM. In many instances, there are several of factors that contribute to an alligator attack. 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. South Carolina has been home to over 100,000 alligators. It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near a pond in Sun City . The victim was recovered from the pond, and the alligator was removed and euthanized on site. Before that, Bonnie Walker, 90, wandered off her senior living center and was killed in an attack in Charleston, South Carolina in 2016. It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near the pond and slipped in. "If you should be attacked, fight like your life depends on it because it does," Mazzoti said. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, a statement from the Horry County Police Department. Officials have released a 911 call made after an alligator fatally attacked an 85-year-old woman in Florida earlier this week. This is the first deadly alligator attack in the state since May 2020, according to authorities. This is the first deadly alligator attack in the state since May 2020, according to authorities. According to police, the victim, identified as Sean Thomas McGuinness, 47, was believed to have entered the lake at night. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, according to the Charleston County Sheriffs Office. Elderly South Carolina Woman Killed by an Alligator After Falling into Pond. A Florida man was killed by an alligator while retrieving frisbees from a lake in Largo on May 31. It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near a pond in Sun City Hilton Head, an adult-only community, and slipped in, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and the Department of Natural Resources. A Florida man thought a 7-foot alligator was dog on long leash. An investigation into the death is continuing, the police said. 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. Her death has been. Rattlesnakes:What to know if you're bitten by a rattlesnake, Bears:What should you do if you see a bear? A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal . An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. Developer Charles Fraser founded both the Sea Pines and Kiawah Island resort communities, which were built on the concept that communities could be developed while the wildlife preserved. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, Why Deadly Alligator Attacks Like South Carolina Are a Growing Trend. Florida had an. 1 Dead in Fatal Alligator Attack at South Carolina Retention Pond Near Myrtle Beach. 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. 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 . Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. CLICK HERE. Alligators typically breed and look for new habitats inthe spring and summertime, meaning there could be an increase in alligator activity. May is mating season for alligators in South Carolina, which means alligators are more active this time of the year. There could be more that we arent aware of, SCDNR alligator program director, Jay Butfiloski previously said,. Alligator attacks are rare but not surprising, Major Viens said of the area. T he death of Cassandra Cline, a 45-year-old . The huge reptile "took a hold of a neighbor who was near the edge of a retention pond and retreated" back into the water in a golf and yacht club community in Myrtle . Becker's autopsy will be conducted Tuesday, officials said. I couldnt have imagined that it was likely one of these alligators that would later kill a man, he wrote on Friday. Hilton Head Island residents share the roads with 2,000 - 4,000 alligators - who use an "alligator crossing" to cross busy roads. Alligator attacks are rare, fatal ones even rarer. Market data provided by Factset. Studio, Officials Say Shark Attacked Woman Who Vanished While Snorkeling with Husband, Blast 'Conspiracy Theories', Woman Who Vanished in Shark Attack While Snorkeling with Husband Was 'Following Dreams' on Hawaii Trip, Shocking Video Shows Fla. Man Trapping Alligator into Garbage Bin: 'Somebody's Gotta Step Up', Elderly Florida Woman Killed by 2 Alligators After Falling into a Pond Near Her Home, Fla. Man Attacked by 7-Foot Alligator Outside Motel After Mistaking It For a Dog, 1 Dead in Fatal Alligator Attack at South Carolina Retention Pond Near Myrtle Beach, Florida Deputies Relocate Alligator Found in Garage Near Sheriff's Office: 'Later Gator! 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