Florida scientists work out what's behind 96% of alligator attacks on humans

Daily Mail​

09-05-2025

In groundbreaking new research, Florida scientists determined that almost all alligator attacks were caused by risky behavior from humans.
Researchers at the University of Florida and Centre College in Kentucky published the first-ever research studying what humans were doing immediately before an alligator encounter.
They found that a whopping 96 percent of recorded 'alligator attacks' occurred right after humans were engaging in 'risky' behavior.
Researchers published the study in the Human-Wildlife Interactions journal and announced in April that alligator bites are preventable.
Mark Teshera, the study's lead and a biology professor at Centre College, said the findings show that alligator 'attacks' aren't actually attacks at all.
'It was important to create a ranking system for risky human behaviors because it showed that the overwhelming majority of bites stemmed from some level of humans engaging in risky behavior in places where alligators live,' Teshera said.
'Therefore, we should not call these encounters 'attacks.''
Teshera added that the motivation for the study was to determine if alligators were misrepresented.
Scientists concluded that humans shoulder a majority of the blame for alligator bites, and the predators don't typically go looking to attack people.
'The takeaway lesson from this study is that many bites can be prevented if humans are aware of their surroundings and minimize risky behaviors such as walking small pets near bodies of water or swimming where alligators are known to be present,' Professor of Wildlife Ecology Frank Mazzotti said.
Scientists believe that alligators won't go looking for conflict but will respond if presented with an 'attractive stimulus.'
The stimulus can be something that would spook the alligator, including splashing, swimming, or a presence in their natural habitat.
When researchers specifically looked at fatal bites, they found humans were often engaging in high-risk behavior beforehand. This can be defined as deliberately entering the alligator's habitat.
Humans who simply walked near the water or the alligator's habitat on land were rarely bitten.
Mazzotti said the findings could help protect alligators from being euthanized by authorities for biting a human.
Typically, when an attack occurs, authorities will attempt to identify the alligator, capture it, and euthanize them.
Although alligator attacks are rare, a Florida woman named Rachel Thompson was bitten last July while swimming in Hillsborough River
If humans are conscious of not disturbing the creatures, they're less likely to get attacked, and the alligators won't be senselessly killed.
The information is particularly useful as Floridians prepare for alligator season, which runs from April to June.
The spring is when alligators mate, and they're more active, which can lead to an increase in human interactions.
Researchers advise Floridians to be aware of alligator habitats and avoid swimming in the area.
Last July, a woman named Rachel Thompson was swimming in Hillsborough River when she was bitten by an alligator.
The alligator bit her leg as she attempted to escape by throwing a rock and punching it.
Thompson miraculously pried the alligator's mouth open, and her son helped her escape.
Another woman was recently attacked while she paddled in a canoe near the mouth of Tiger Creek.