The key facts
- A 71-year-old man died from an attack by a 3.7 m alligator while fishing near Lake Apopka in Winter Garden, Florida
- The attack occurred around 5:00 PM local time on Friday at Dr Bradford Memorial Park
- The alligator was captured and killed; this is the second fatal case in the state this year
Attack at Lake Apopka
A 71-year-old man died as a result of an alligator attack while fishing at Dr Bradford Memorial Park in Winter Garden in central Florida, a few miles west of Orlando. According to police captain Michael Mason, the attack occurred around 5:00 PM local time on Friday. The 3.7 m (12 ft) alligator approached the shore of Lake Apopka and attacked the man.
Course of the attack and authorities' response
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), cited by CBS News, a BBC partner in the US, after the attack the alligator dragged the man into the water from the shore. Mason said the alligator was 'removed as a danger to the population' and killed by trappers. He urged residents to be cautious: 'Always be aware of your surroundings, always be safe. Respect the local wildlife, keep your distance. It may seem harmless, it may seem like the emblem of Florida, but it can be dangerous.' According to him, Lake Apopka has many alligators, and their appearance in this part of the city is a common occurrence.
Attack statistics
According to the FWC, alligator attacks in Florida are relatively rare, despite a population of about 1.3 million in the state. From 1948 to 2025, there were 500 alligator incidents in the state, 32 of them fatal. This attack was the second fatal case this year: in June, a 31-year-old woman died while swimming with friends near Orlando. The BBC contacted the FWC for further information.
Image source, Getty Images
The alligator population of Florida has remained steady for many years (file photo)
