Alligator Attacks on Canoes and Kayaks

The spring, from April through June, is alligator mating season, which means that gators tend to travel over a larger range than they do during other parts of the year.  They are also more aggressive, as males compete for mates and females protect their nests.  Florida’s alligator population is over 1 million, and with humans settling deeper and deeper into the gators’ territory, attacks on humans are becoming more frequent.  In the decade ending in 2022, there were an average of 10 alligator bite incidents per year; most of them were not fatal, and some did not even require hospitalization.  It really is possible, if you are lucky, for an alligator to give you just a nip.  In two recent attacks, companions of bite victims attempted to fight off the attacking gators.  It seems that people are increasingly aware of how to get a gator to release its bite and swim away.  It would be better if they paid attention to where gator attacks are most frequent and avoided those areas.  If you have been injured in an alligator attack while canoeing or kayaking, contact a Fort Lauderdale premises liability lawyer.

The Tiger Creek Gator Attacks

This year, the Tiger Creek Canal in Polk County has been the site of two alligator attacks.  The first attack happened in March, when a group of kayakers were paddling near the county line between Polk and Osceola Counties.  An alligator bit a kayaker’s paddle in half, causing the kayak to capsize and the woman to fall into the water, kept afloat by her life vest.  The gator bit the woman’s elbow and held on, but the life vest prevented it from fully pulling her underwater.  She called for help, and her husband got out of his kayak and attacked the gator’s eyes, the most vulnerable part of its body.  The gator released the woman and bit the man’s life vest, which he was able to remove and swim to safety.  The woman went to the hospital for treatment; her arm did not require amputation.

In May, a couple were paddling together in a canoe in shallow water near where Tiger Creek meets Lake Kissimmee.  When their canoe passed over an alligator, it raised its head, tipping the canoe over and causing them to fall into the water.  It grabbed the woman in its jaws, and her husband attempted to free her by attacking the gator’s eyes, but the gator pulled her under the water, and rescuers found her body a short time later.

In these attacks, premises liability laws probably do not apply.  Recreational land use laws apply when people use public waters for recreational activities such as canoeing or kayaking and do not pay admission to participate.

Set Up a Consultation Today

A personal injury lawyer can help you if you suffered injuries arising from an alligator attack during a canoeing or kayaking trip in a lake or river.  Contact Boone & Davis in Fort Lauderdale, Florida or call 954-566-9919 to explore your potential recovery options today.

Sources:

nytimes.com/2025/05/07/us/florida-alligator-attack.html

wsvn.com/news/local/florida/new-details-released-after-alligator-attacks-kayaker-in-central-florida/