COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — A 79-year-old man endured a terrifying ordeal when he was attacked by an alligator in his gated community early Thursday morning in Collier County. The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, made a distress call to 911 at approximately 5 a.m., triggering a rapid response from local law enforcement.

The incident took place on Jungle Plum Drive within the Forest Glen Golf & Country Club, situated near the intersection of Collier Boulevard and I-75. Despite the man being a distance from any body of water, the 911 call paints a vivid picture of the frightening encounter.

“I’m on the way, walking home on Jungle Plum Drive,” the victim frantically informed the dispatcher. “It was dark, he bit my leg. I wrapped my shirt around.”

The victim spoke to dispatch calmly, despite the gruesome depiction of his injuries.

“I’m bleeding, don’t know how bad it is. It’s profuse. There’s a lot of skin ripped off, I see, probably some muscle,” the victim said.

During the call, the victim expressed his uncertainty about the whereabouts of the alligator.

“Where’s the animal now?” the dispatcher asked. The victim replied, “I don’t know, he’s a little guy. Jumped up and bit me.”

As the situation unfolded, the victim’s courage and composure were evident.

“Serious bleeding?” the dispatcher asked. The victim replied, “Yeah! I’ve got my t-shirt wrapped around my leg.”

In response to the victim’s description of his injuries, Dr. Billy Gunnels, an urban ecology professor at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), provided insights into the attack.

“Animal attacks tend to be so sensationalized because they are so rare that we get disproportionately nervous about them,” Dr. Gunnels commented, highlighting the rarity of such incidents.

Dr. Gunnels further analyzed the situation, suggesting that the alligator was likely a parent simply reacting to a threat.

“This doesn’t appear to look like the person acted inappropriately,” he stated. “It just appears to be an unfortunate consequence of a mother protecting their young.”

The expert emphasized the instinctual behavior of mothers, regardless of the species involved.

“It doesn’t matter if we are talking about a momma bear, a gator momma, or a human,” Dr. Gunnels explained. “They are always protective of their offspring.”

Addressing the specific circumstances of this incident, Dr. Gunnels stated, “If it was a mother, and it looks in the reports that it was, and it had offspring, unfortunately she was trying to protect her baby and unfortunately this person was attacked.”

Dr. Gunnels firmly believed this was a chance encounter, stating, “Definitely the wrong place, wrong time. I didn’t see anything in the report that said that this person did something inappropriate.”

As the investigation continued, deputies swiftly arrived at the scene, providing immediate aid to the injured victim. One deputy focused on ensuring the alligator’s location. 

A trapper was promptly summoned to the scene to safely capture the alligator, which measured an imposing 6 feet 9 inches.