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Paddleboarder Rescues Swimmer During Alligator Attack in Florida
Just the facts
The incident occurred when an alligator bit a woman's arm as she was swimming in the Silver River. Mike Head paddled to the scene, used his paddle to strike the alligator until it released the swimmer, and applied a rope tourniquet to reduce her bleeding before another boater assisted in bringing her to shore. Following the attack, officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission captured and removed a nine-foot, eight-inch alligator from the area. Wildlife officials note that human encounters with alligators in Florida have become more frequent as residential development expands near natural waterways.
Why this is news
Paddleboarder Mike Head rescued a swimmer who was attacked by an alligator in the Silver River in Marion County, Florida.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.