Danger in the water: Hungry alligators have started attacking rowers in boats without explanation

After more than 20 years with no recorded alligator attacks in Texas, two separate attacks have been documented that have caused panic.

While residents have been warned, the director of the local alligator project claims that everything makes sense and there is a justified explanation for it

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14/09/2022

Wednesday, September 14, 2022, 11:56 p.m

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A woman who was walking her two dogs near a lake in a park near Miami was killed by an alligator (Photo: Reuters and CNN, editing: Niv Maoz)

Fishermen and paddlers in Texas were warned last week of unusually aggressive behavior by alligators that began suddenly and violently attacking boats.

In the local Sugar Land, Texas network, it was reported that this was the first time ever that the river animals started attacking "for no reason".

Two rowing boats have been attacked in recent weeks resulting in one alligator being captured.

Dee Connors, president of the Greater Houston Rowing Club, said it all started when an elderly rower accidentally hit an alligator with an oar and the alligator sought revenge: "The next day, he chewed off a piece of his boat that started to sink, but he managed to get to shore."

Regarding the second attack, Connors said: "Another rower rowed behind me and another alligator just bit the end of his boat, he didn't attack as hard as the first one, and the rower was able to reach safe shore quite easily."

According to Connors, these attacks are rare and she has not heard of similar attacks in the 20 years she has been rowing in Oyster Creek, a place where there are many homes along the shore.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Warner, director of the alligator program for Texas Parks and Wildlife, came to the defense of the giant reptiles.

He said that it was probably a mistake and that the alligators were just looking for food.

"It seems that they bit the boat and immediately released it. We are approaching autumn, the end of the warm months, it is the heat season and the end of the incubation season, and they move to look for food during this time, to store food for the cold season."

He believes that: "The alligators thought it was food, tried their luck, and found out it wasn't food. The situation is under control, we are monitoring it, we pulled one alligator out of the water and warned the people."

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Jonathan explained that alligator attacks on boats are very rare, but he was not at all surprised at this time of year, and the fact that the people were walking around their living areas.

According to United States research, there is an average of one human death per year by an alligator between 1999 and 2019, alligators killed 10 people in the southeastern United States.

During that time and in the same region, nearly five times as many people were killed by dogs, and nearly 12 times as many people were killed by lightning.

A huge alligator walks on a golf course in Florida (Photo: Giphy, TWITTER)

So what should you do if you meet an alligator?

If the alligator does not approach people or is not an obvious threat, wait a few days if possible - even up to a week - before contacting the authorities.

In the spring and summer, alligators usually move from habitat to reproduce and find a new habitat.

Most of the alligators that roam are smaller, pushed out of their normal habitat by the larger alligators.

Usually, the little ones will move on within a week or two.

If you hear the sound of an alligator - this is a warning that you are too close.

Alligators have a natural fear of humans and usually start a quick retreat when people approach them.

If you happen to encounter an alligator up close a few feet away, back away slowly.

It is extremely rare for alligators in the wild to chase people, but they can run up to 55 km/h for short distances on land. Never make the mistake of thinking that an alligator is slow and sleepy - in fact, they are extremely fast and agile and will defend themselves when cornered. A female protecting her nest and offspring may attack an individual who gets too close, but she will quickly return to the nest after the intruder has left.

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• Alligators

• Texas

• rowing