OVIEDO, Fla. – If you come across a body of water in Florida, then most likely a gator is in there, and you don’t want to run into one of those.
It’s why we spoke with a local expert about ways to avoid encounters with one.
We’ve seen a few dangerous encounters with alligators in Central Florida recently, including this gator showing up at a Sanford home Thursday and one tipping over a canoe and killing a Kissimmee woman in front of her husband earlier this month at Lake Kissimmee State Park.
“You don’t know what’s in there. A gator lies really low in the grass. It could have a nest of eggs right there and you don’t even know it.” Kevin Brotz, a licensed gator hunting guide for the past two decades told News 6.
“OK, if the gator pops out of the water right here, what do I do? I would turn towards the gator and just slowly back away. Don’t turn your back to the gator like any wild animal,” Brotz said.
Brotz said you don’t want to trigger the gator’s hunting instincts, so staying calm is key.
“If he swims or runs for a long distance, he gets a cramp, his whole body locks up, and they slow down very quickly, so I would say get away as quick as you can if someone was chasing you.”
He says it’s also important to keep calm if you get caught in the water too.
“If one came at you while you were swimming or if you’re in shallow water, I would stand up as high as you can and slowly back away,” Brotz said.
However, Brotz said the best way to avoid gators is to swim during the daytime, avoid fishing areas, and check your surroundings.
Even though encounters do happen, it is still rare to run into one.
You’re actually more likely to get struck by lightning than to be attacked by a gator. That’s why it’s important to make sure you enter the water with caution before you get in the wa