Newly acquired data from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources suggests there has been an increase in the number of alligator encounters in the Palmetto State . It was at least the fourth deadly alligator attack in the United States so far this year. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. ". Write to Gina Martinez at gina.martinez@time.com. The animal latched onto Covert's left leg and began pulling her into. The alligator, a 9-foot, 8-inch male, was later captured, removed from the pond and euthanized, officials said. 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. "Our hearts go out to the family and community members impacted by this tragic incident," a statement from police said. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. She stated her husband went down and grabbed a shovel and she called 911,the report said. Alligators are naturally afraid of humans, but will attack in certain instances. Gator attack:A Florida man thought a 7-foot alligator was dog on long leash. Updated on: August 15, 2022 / 7:34 PM 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 . 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The witness told police that her friend, later identified as 58-year-old Cynthia Covert, of Johns Island, was visiting her home Friday afternoon. 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. She kept yelling as Covert crept closer to the gator. 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. T he death of Cassandra Cline, a 45-year-old . 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. Before that, Bonnie Walker, 90, wandered off her senior living center and was killed in an attack in Charleston, South Carolina in 2016. Once officers arrived on the scene, officials determined that "an alligator had taken hold of a neighbor and retreated into a nearby retention pond," a statement from the Horry County Police Department said. Alligator attacks are very rare, even in Louisiana and Florida. Alligator Attacks and Kills Florida Woman, 85, Who Was Walking Her Dog. The good news for humans: Alligators have a natural fear of humans and usually will retreat when approached, Texas Parks and Wildlife says. ", "She played cards," Sandy Sauers, a friend, told WPBF. While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common as more humans move to alligator-populated areas. Hilton Head Island residents share the roads with 2,000 - 4,000 alligators - who use an "alligator crossing" to cross busy roads. An autopsy Monday found Covert died of drowning, the Charleston County Coroners Office said. Alligators are naturally afraid of humans, but will attack in certain instances. Fatal alligator attacks are rare in the United States. The victim was identified as 88-year-old Nancy Becker, ABC News reports. Please enter valid email address to continue. Officials identified the woman as Nancy A. Becker, a resident of Sun City Hilton Head, who they believe was gardening near the pond and slipped into the water, where she was attacked by the alligator. Outdoor Life - Katie Hill. Anyone can read what you share. 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 . Deadly alligator attacks on humans are rare. Despite what seems to be increasing frequency, Mazzotti says attacks are still remarkably rare, considering the number of alligators in southeastern U.S. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. A South Carolina woman was rescued by a neighbor Thursday morning during a violent alligator attack in the state, authorities said. Leanne Golino. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The attack occurred near a lagoon on Hilton Head Island on the state's. The Florida conservation commission said in November 2021 there were 442 unprovoked alligator bites in Florida from 1948 to 2021, averaging six a year. It appears she was gardening near a pond in an adult-only . However, alligators may be more inclined to approach humans if fed by one, which is why it's illegal to do so in many states. Deputies with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office were notified around 11:15 a.m. about an alligator that looked as if it was "standing guard" beside a . Benjamin previously served as Columbia's mayor from 2010 to 2021 and currently sits as the CEO and president of the Benjamin Firm, LLC. The womans husband and another man tried beating the alligator with shovels, but the animal swam deeper, the police report said. Deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman on Friday, authorities said. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. 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. She stated her husband tried to save her friend, but the alligator dragged her under the water, the report said. By Christian Boschult christian.boschult@myhorrynews.com Jul 15, 2022 0 Alligators like this one. Nancy Becker, 88, was gardening at her living community when she slipped and fell into a lagoon that was home to an alligator. All rights reserved. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? When deputies arrived, the alligator kept surfacing with Covert and going under. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This same shark off the coast of the Outer Banks began its tracking in . As friends tried to yank her from the alligators grasp, she calmly said, I guess I wont do this again, moments before the alligator rolled and pulled her under the water, the newspaper reported. 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 . Officials have released a 911 call made after an alligator fatally attacked an 85-year-old woman in Florida earlier this week. I couldnt have imagined that it was likely one of these alligators that would later kill a man, he wrote on Friday. When nuisance trappers go into an area with gators theyll often play a recording of a dog barking and the gators will come and investigate.. The area in the Outer Banks is a favorite hangout spot for great white sharks, apparently. 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. The first was an elderly woman in Charleston County in 2016. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. A man was killed after he was attacked and dragged into a pond in South Carolina by an 11-foot alligator, officials said. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? FLORIDA WOMAN ATTACKED BY ALLIGATORS AT COUNTRY CLUB IDENTIFIED. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. This was the first fatal attack in the state by an alligator since May 2020. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? For reference, you have a better chance of getting attacked by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. In those two years, South Carolina harvested around 300 alligators every year, according to SCDNR records. The authorities did not release the victims name, age or other circumstances about the attack. You try to maintain distance from the banks, and when you see them out, you admire them from afar. Covert, of Johns Island, made no sound as the alligator pulled her under, the woman told police. Still, attacks, especially fatal ones, are rare. Fatal alligator attacks are typically rare in the United States, with the Center for Disease and Prevention reporting that alligators killed only 10 people in the Southeast from 1999 to 2019. The HCPD and the Horry County Coroner's Office did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. On Monday morning police responded to a report of an alligator attack at a pond inside the. 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. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "She fell down and [it] took her.". Stephen Benjamin, the former mayor of Columbia, S.C., will be the new senior adviser and director of the Office of Public Engagement, replacing Keisha Lance Bottoms, the White House announced on Monday. 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. She stated her husband tried hitting the alligator as the alligator kept dragging her friend back into the water.. All Rights Reserved. Firefighters used poles to get Covert out of the pond but she died at the hospital, authorities said. A person walking their dog discovered his body along the shoreline the next morning, the police said. While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common. They aren't the only run-ins people have had with the creatures. First responders were then able to pull the womans body from the water. "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 will often reposition its bite, take advantage of that to get away. Last summer, a 68-year-old woman was hospitalized after an alligator attack in Sun City-Hilton Head, the Island Packet repotted. The dog survived the attack, per the FWC. 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. It was no walk in the park for a South Carolina man who saved his dog from an alligator attack during a morning stroll. 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. According to police, the victim, identified as Sean Thomas McGuinness, 47, was believed to have entered the lake at night. It was the fourthdeath from alligator attacks this year after a man was killed looking for Frisbees on May 31 in Florida,another manwas killed near a retention pond in South Carolina on June 24and an 80-year-old Florida woman was killed along a golf course. Why Deadly Alligator Attacks Like South Carolina Are a Growing Trend. The woman Covert was staying with said she didnt seem herself Friday and walked toward the alligator, which lunged and grabbed her in its mouth when she was about 4 feet away, deputies said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. By Gina Martinez August 21, 2018 4:16 PM EDT. "Anytime you show up next to water, you're assuming some risk Don't tempt it.". The latest was at least the fourth in the United States since May and the second this year in South Carolina. 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.. She was a good friend to a lot of people in the park.". 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. When it gets really hot in the summer, a lot of time theyll spend time below the water, where its cooler.. Alligator attacks in South Carolina have increased, likely because of human activities. Market data provided by Factset. 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.". Elderly South Carolina Woman Killed by an Alligator After Falling into Pond. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Initially, the Horry County Fire Rescue was dispatched at 11:54 a.m. to a water-related call in the area of Excalibur Court in Myrtle Beach, a statement from the department said. The creature is most abundant in Louisiana and Florida, with each state having a population of over 1 million alligators. An investigation into the death is continuing, the police said. A biologist with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and an alligator-removal contractor determined that the animal needed to be humanely euthanized on site, the police said. Fire rescue and police arrived around 11:45 a.m.. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The unnamed victim was found last Friday around 11:45 a.m. near Excalaber Court outside of . A Florida man was killed by an alligator while retrieving frisbees from a lake in Largo on May 31. Sure, the baby alligator is certainly not a common sight at the popular coffee shop. The following day, a person walking their dog discovered McGuiness' body along the lake's shoreline. Alligators are mostly concentrated in Florida and Louisiana but are present in several other states. A woman was killed in an alligator attack Monday in South Carolina,officials confirmed,in what has become an unusual year for alligator attacks. KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) Authorities say deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman. The last fatal alligator attack to occur in South Carolina was in May 2020, when a 58-year-old woman saw an alligator and went to touch it, despite her friend's warnings, according to The Post and Courier. Alligators typically breed and look for new habitats inthe spring and summertime, meaning there could be an increase in alligator activity. After repeatedly saying there was still no sight of the woman in the water, the neighbor then saw her body resurface. This attack is the fourth reported in Charleston County history, according to SCDNR records. Prior to that attack, an unidentified victim died after analligatordragged them into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This is the first deadly alligator attack in the state since May 2020, according to authorities. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter:@jordan_mendoza5. When Covert was about four feet from the edge of the water, the alligator attacked and dragged her into the water, according to the incident report. The victim in the May attack in Florida was identified as Sean Thomas McGuinness. 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. A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal, according to the police report released Monday. A Florida man thought a 7-foot alligator was dog on long leash. A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal, according to the police report released Monday. Weve always looked at the alligators as a part of the community, he said. May is mating season for alligators in South Carolina, which means alligators are more active this time of the year. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? On Monday morning police responded to a report of an alligator attack at a pond inside the Sun City . ': Hot, hungry alligators are taking lonely strolls in Florida. Florida is known to be the home of alligators, and residents have numerous run-ins with the reptiles near their homes, golf courses or roads. 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. When deputies arrived, the alligator kept surfacing with Covert and going under. Four Fatal Gator Attacks in 76 Days Is a Statistical Anomaly. A South Carolina woman was attacked by an eight-foot-long alligator while walking her dog on Thursday morning. The woman's husband and another man tried beating the alligator with shovels, but the animal swam deeper, the police report said. Began its tracking in favorite hangout spot for great white sharks, apparently and she called 911 the. 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