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 . a man was killed looking for Frisbees on May 31 in Florida, another manwas killed near a retention pond in South Carolina on June 24, an 80-year-old Florida woman was killed along a golf course, run-ins with the reptiles near their homes, What to know if you're bitten by a rattlesnake, What should you do if you see a bear? "She fell down and [it] took her.". A person walking their dog discovered his body along the shoreline the next morning, the police said. Authorities say the woman "died as a result of the incident" and that her body was recovered, according to a statement previously obtained by PEOPLE from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. A biologist and a contracted alligator removal service from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources determined the alligator should be humanely euthanized on site, according to police. 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. Universal Images Group via Getty Images, FILE. Early in the year, when water is cooler, its common to see them on the banks sunning themselves. Deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman on Friday, authorities said. The victim, identified as Cynthia Covert, was dragged into a pond behind her friend's home on Kiawah Island, near Charleston, and said calmly, "I guess I won't do this again," as her friend tried to pull her away from the alligator. A South Carolina woman was attacked by an eight-foot-long alligator while walking her dog on Thursday morning. Alligators are active during spring and summer because when temperatures rise, their metabolism increases and they look for food, Melody Kilborn, a spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, told ABC News last month. Deadly alligator attacks on humans are rare. The giant reptile was captured and euthanized on site. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. She was a good friend to a lot of people in the park.". An 88-year-old woman was killed in an alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said, the second fatal attack in the state in 2022 and at least the fourth nationwide this year. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. In 1962, Fraser walked alongside an alligator named Albert for a magazine photoshoot that attracted attention from around the world. The HCPD and the Horry County Coroner's Office did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. / CBS News. The pond in which the body was found is surrounded by houses on all sides, said Major Viens, noting that it was the second alligator attack in the gated community in five years. 1:39 A person in South Carolina was killed by an alligator Friday near a community retention pond outside Myrtle Beach, authorities said. In an interview on Sunday, Mr. Repak said it was common to watch alligators walk on a road over a pair of retention ponds. FLORIDA WOMAN ATTACKED BY ALLIGATORS AT COUNTRY CLUB IDENTIFIED. Theyre not going to chase you down the fairway in these golfing communities., Alligator Kills 88-Year-Old Woman in South Carolina, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/15/us/alligator-attack-south-carolina.html. In July, a 75-year-old Callawassie Island woman was trimming plants near a community pond when an alligator latched onto her and pulled her into . 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 . Outdoor Life - Katie Hill. The Florida commission says the chances of a Florida resident being seriously injured in an unprovoked alligator attack are in one in 3.1 million. On the call, a neighbor who "just happened to look" outside when the attack occurred can be heard frantically telling the 911 operator "the alligator's got her" and to "please hurry," according to ABC affiliate WPBF. The deadly attack, in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., was at least the fourth in the country this year. 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. They aren't the only run-ins people have had with the creatures. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The good news for humans: Alligators have a natural fear of humans and usually will retreat when approached, Texas Parks and Wildlife says. Cynthia Covert, 58, drowned Friday after an alligator repeatedly pulled her into a pond on Kiawah Island, according to a report from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. 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. 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. Alligator Attacks and Kills Florida Woman, 85, Who Was Walking Her Dog, Florida Man Hospitalized After Alligator Bites His Face During Swim Near Tampa, 88-Year-Old S.C. Woman Dead After Being Attacked by Alligator at Retirement Community, 11-Foot Alligator Attacks and Kills Florida Woman, 85, Who Was Walking Her Dog, Florida Alligator Stuck in Pond with Her Mouth Taped Shut Is Rescued and Freed After 2 Months, Fla. Man Hospitalized After Alligator Bites His Face During Swim Near Tampa, Girl, 16, Dies in Australia Shark Attack After Jumping into Water to Swim with Dolphins: 'We Are Devastated', 10-Ft. Alligator Spotted on a Florida Beach, Body Cam Footage of Paul Pelosi's Attack Released, Showing Moment Assailant Lunged at Him with Hammer, Man Helps Rescue 77-Year-Old Woman Attacked by Alligator at Retirement Community: 'He Saved Her', 'We Were in the Middle of Dancing': Witness Describes Horror of Mass Shooting at Calif. ABC 15 By Vimal Patel June 26, 2022 A man was killed on Friday after being dragged into a. Its also very important for humans to keep their distance from these creatures, experts stress. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Florida, which has the most human-alligator interactions, has recorded 24 deadly alligator attacks since 1948 but 14 of those have occurred in the last 20 years, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data. The victim in the May attack in Florida was identified as Sean Thomas McGuinness. Why Deadly Alligator Attacks Like South Carolina Are a Growing Trend. A woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, police said. There could be more that we arent aware of, SCDNR alligator program director, Jay Butfiloski previously said,. CLICK HERE. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. "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. Write to Gina Martinez at gina.martinez@time.com. Alligators do not have an instinct to attack humans, he says. And you know, she's been alone. That said, South Carolina's Post and Courier reports that the state recorded five deaths resulting from alligator attacks between 2016 and 2022 but none in the previous 16 years. But dangerous human-gator interactions are starting to happen more frequently because people are moving deeper into alligators habitat, says University of Florida professor Frank Mazzotti. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Alligator Fatally Attacks Man at the Edge of a South Carolina Pond, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/26/us/myrtle-beach-fatal-alligator-attack.html. When it gets really hot in the summer, a lot of time theyll spend time below the water, where its cooler.. Over the course of the phone call, which lasted for over eight minutes, the neighbor said she had gone to get a pole to rescue the woman after the attack. When officers arrived, they found a large alligator by the edge of a pond near the body of an unidentified woman, police said. May is mating season for alligators in South Carolina, which means alligators are more active this time of the year. Don't turn and run, expert warns. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Covert never screamed during the deadly attack, the woman told police. Magazines, Digital The HCPD said its death investigation remains underway. Alligators tend to be more active at night, Mr. Butfiloski said, and come out around dusk. According to SCDNR South Carolina has had only three fatal alligator attacks in its recorded history and each occurred within the last four years. When deputies arrived, the alligator kept surfacing with Covert and going under. 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. Four Fatal Gator Attacks in 76 Days Is a Statistical Anomaly. The victim has not been identified. 14 of those attacks occurred in Beaufort County according to SCDNR records. 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. The attack occurred near a lagoon on Hilton Head Island on the state's. Treat your dog like you would treat your child.. ', Man Fatally Shot Ex-Girlfriend's Sister After Convincing Her to Pull Over on Road, Then Killed Himself, remembered by loved ones as being a "good friend. Alligators only attack when threatened or cornered, but if a human is in water with alligators, it may entice them. Please enter valid email address to continue. Photo: Getty. Fire rescue and police arrived around 11:45 a.m.. 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. She saw an alligator and was fascinated by it and went to touch it, against her friends warning. 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 into the water, according to a police report. As of August, there were 23 total alligator attacks since 1915, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. A baby alligator was spotted running on the loose outside of a South Carolina Starbucks recently. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter:@jordan_mendoza5. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? Officials have released a 911 call made after an alligator fatally attacked an 85-year-old woman in Florida earlier this week. It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near the pond and slipped in. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Elderly South Carolina Woman Killed by an Alligator After Falling into Pond. Noting that serious injuries caused by alligator attacks are rare in state, the FWC said in a statement that anyone with concerns should call their toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR(866-392-4286). Alligators will often reposition its bite, take advantage of that to get away. There were an average of about 10 alligator bites a year in the 2010s, compared with an average of eight a year in the 1980s. 1 Dead in Fatal Alligator Attack at South Carolina Retention Pond Near Myrtle Beach. Prior to that attack, an unidentified victim died after analligatordragged them into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This attack is the fourth reported in Charleston County history, according to SCDNR records. Last week, an alligator attacked and ate a 40-pound dog that was playing fetch with his owner in Florida's J.R. Alford Greenway Trail. A man has died after an alligator attack in Myrtle Beach, S.C., June 24, 2022. However, it certainly gets a lot of attention while it's hanging out near the entrance of the South Carolina business. "Our hearts go out to the family and community members impacted by this tragic incident," a statement from police said. South Carolina has been home to over 100,000 alligators. She stated her husband went down and grabbed a shovel and she called 911,the report said. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Of those bites, 26 were fatal, meaning there was one fatal injury nearly every three years in the state. On Monday morning police responded to a report of an alligator attack at a pond inside the Sun City . At least four people have been killed in alligator attacks in 2022. Coverts friend yelled to not get any closer, but Covert continued off the back steps towards to where the alligator was, the report said. Alligator attacks are rare but not surprising, Major Viens said of the area. 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.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common as more humans move to alligator-populated areas. However, the study at the time cited the need for a "uniform reporting system among states" to get more complete information on alligator encounters. Updated on: August 15, 2022 / 7:34 PM "Anytime you show up next to water, you're assuming some risk Don't tempt it.". We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. The dog survived the attack, per the FWC. It was at. The Associated Press. While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common as more humans move to alligator-populated areas. I couldnt have imagined that it was likely one of these alligators that would later kill a man, he wrote on Friday. According to the report, Covert's friend yelled at her not to get closer, but she continued off the back steps towards where the alligator was located, CBS affiliate WCSC reported. Cline was walking her dog alongside a lagoon adjacent to the Sea Pines Resort golf course when she was attacked about 9:30 a.m. Sea Pine, a 5,200-square-foot gated community, was built in 1957 and is located at the southern tip of Hilton Head Island. 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. A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal, according to the police report released Monday. In South Carolina, they can be found in the states coastal marshlands, according to the Department of Natural Resources. A woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, police said. June 25, 2022 / 2:26 PM / CBS News. Alligator attacks are rare, and there's an even slimmer chance of being killed by one. . Alligators are found throughout the Southeast and wetlands, with their range stretching as far west as eastern Texas, and as far east as coastal North Carolina, according toThe National Wildlife Federation. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, a statement from the Horry County Police Department. An investigation into the death is continuing, the police said. If an alligator attacks, experts say to poke at its eyes and punch and kick it around the head. "With how many people there are and how many alligators there are, it's really surprising it doesn't happen more often,"Frank Mazzotti, professor of wildlife ecology and member of the "Croc Docs" at the University of Florida, told USA TODAY. This is at least the third fatal alligator attack in South Carolina in the past four years. 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. However, when she returned, the woman had been pulled into the water. She kept yelling as Covert crept closer to the gator. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The woman Covert was staying with said she didn't 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. Police said the victim, whose identity has not been released yet, was recovered from the pond and the alligator was removed. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. 'Walkers beware! The police believe that Mr. McGuinness, 47, had entered the lake in John S. Taylor Park at night. Fatal alligator attacks are rare in the United States. 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. This is the first deadly alligator attack in the state since May 2020, according to authorities. "He's so frightened," she told the operator. 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.. When we got there thats exactly what we found, said Maj. Angela Viens, a public information officer with the Beaufort County sheriffs office. Police report released Monday chances of a South Carolina woman killed by an alligator after Falling into.. ] took her. `` Gator attacks in its recorded history and each within... 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