Woman reportedly loses arm after alligator attack while swimming in Florida river
Florida officials responded to the river and a 9-foot, 8-inch alligator was found and trapped the next day.
FILE: Alligator chows down on smaller alligator in Florida wildlife park
Video from Florida's Gatorland on March 30 shows a massive alligator eating a small alligator. Alligators are cannibalistic animals, with small and young alligators being the primary victims of bigger gators.
FLORIDA - A woman in Florida was bitten by an alligator on Saturday while swimming in a river and has reportedly lost her arm after the attack.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the incident happened in Marion County, Florida, on the Silver River.
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The woman was swimming when she was bitten by the alligator and pulled underwater.
FILE: An alligator in the Okefenokee Swamp. (Larry A. Woodward / USFWS / FOX Weather)
FOX News Digital reported that a boater was nearby when the incident happened. He reportedly raced his boat to scare off the alligator, which was approaching a group of swimmers.
The man reportedly helped pull the woman out of the water, and her injuries were described as gruesome.
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Florida FWC and a nuisance alligator trapper responded to the river and a 9-foot, 8-inch alligator was found and trapped the next day.
UNITED STATES - DECEMBER 14: Alligator at Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, the Everglades, Florida, United States of America. (Tim Graham / Getty Images)
The area where the attack happened was also closed until the following day as well, FOX News Digital reported.
Alligators are found year-round in Florida, but are more active in the summer months when it's warmer.
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The Florida FWC said the warmth combined with the drought most of Florida is in currently, has limited habitat availability for the alligators, which means they're more visible in Florida's freshwaters.
An alligator is seen at the Gator Park in the Florida Everglades May 17, 2006, in Miami-Dade County. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)
"Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida," the Florida FWC said. "The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property."
People in Florida with concerns about an alligator should call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's toll-free nuisance alligator hotline at 866-392-4286.