11-Foot Alligator Bites Off Teen’s Arm in Florida
- Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:33am by
Billy Hallowell
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MOORE HAVEN, Fla. (The Blaze/AP) — In a shocking and violent alligator attack, a Florida teenager has lost his right arm below the elbow.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Jorge Pino told Fort Myers television station WBBH that the teen’s arm was still inside the 11-foot alligator when it was hunted down and killed Monday evening.
The television station reports 17-year-old Kaleb Langdale was rushed to a Fort Myers hospital but the arm couldn’t be reattached. Langdale was swimming in the Caloosahatchee (kal-oos-ah-HAT’-chee) River near Moore Haven when the attack occurred.
NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral
Matt Baker, a friend of the victim, says the gator swam straight at Langdale. It bit the teen’s arm and pulled him under water. Another friend, Gary Beck says Langdale popped out of the water, screaming “my arm is gone.” WBBH provides moe of the reaction from friends who were with Langdale at the time of the incident:
Friends who were with Langdale at the time of the attack said they were in no way taunting the gator. They say it seemed to have come out of nowhere.
“It ended up being about a 10-and-a-half-foot gator who came straight at him. It came at him and he put his arm in the way instead of letting it get to his body. It took his arm and him under,” said…Baker.
Another friend, Gary Beck, said Langdale popped out of the water shortly after the attack. [...]
“It was scary. I couldn’t believe it was real at the moment,” Baker added.
Officials say it’s alligator mating season and attacks are not uncommon.
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Absalom
Posted on July 11, 2012 at 2:01amMy daughter is 8, and even she knows that come April or May she is to steer clear of all water unless I say otherwise. I am always overly cautious; I have had too many run-ins with gators growing up in east Tx, and even had a 7 footer challange me(6′2″, 210 lbs) in FL once. So you can never be sure what an animal might do. If you make a decision to go into the water, you better remember you are making a concious choice to step-down a few rungs in the food chain. If you cannot deal with the consequences then keep your butt in the pools.
Report Post »denkat56
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:02pmat last a real job for pelosi and ried. alligator bait.
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 6:34pmIt looks like we’re becoming the endangered species down there. I think it’s harvest time.
Report Post »Master.Debater
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 5:12pmThis doesn’t make sense. My kid watches Go, Diego Go! and on there the alligators are portrayed as friendly and cute.
Report Post »Black Manta
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 3:56pmDoesn’t taste like gator bait but, it’ll do…Esau simple as hell…
Report Post »macbihi
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 1:21pmIt was bush’s fault!!!!
Report Post »Rodhaines
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:20pmOh what the heck. For those who haven’t heard of Amos Moses…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLDtNsIKOhs
Report Post »Rodhaines
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:49amEverybody in south Louisiana said Amos was a helluva man
He could trap the biggest and meanest alligator and just use one hand
That’s all he got left ’cause a alligator bit it
Left arm gone clean up to the elbow
Well, the Sheriff caught wind of Amos
In the swamp trappin’ alligator skins
That Sheriff went lookin’ for Amos
Boy, you know he never come out again
I wonder where the Louisiana Sheriff went to
You can sure get lost in the Louisiana Bayou
About forty-five minutes south of Thibadoux Louisiana
Report Post »Lived a cat named Doc Milsap, his pretty wife Hanna
Well, they raised up a son that could eat up his weight in groceries
Named him after a man of the cloth, called him Amos Moses
banjarmon
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:05amWhere is BHO when you need Gator bate….second though….that might make the gator SICK!!!
Report Post »whereareyourbrains
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:04amI have a canal behind my house. We have had different gators show up time after time. I had to have 2 in the last 8 yrs removed. Other than that they actually tend to avoid people unless you swim in their water. The one behind the house now swims away when I go to the canal. You gotta respect their habitat. I agree with some, these kids should swim in a pool. All water in Florida is a potential home for a big gator. It doesn’t have to be deep…just wet…………….
Report Post »ivedonebeensassedbyawhore
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:35amAlligators are actually very shy animals, unlike their cousins the crocodiles…. A gator will usually avoid people if possible. Of course, mating season or interaction with humans can change that…. A ten foot gator is a big boy…. That must have been terrifying… Hope he recovers quickly. ( Kid, not the gator) :)
Report Post »KevINtampa
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 12:06pmMating season and what the left won’t tell you… OVER POPULATION of alligators.
The more alligators, the less territory per alligator. Less territory means MORE TERRITORIAL.
Gators in over populated areas will:
#1. Be more apt to eat things outside their “normal” diet. I put normal in quotes because it’s actually quite normal for a hungry gator to eat just about anything.
#2. Be more apt to show aggressive behavior toward territorial intruders. Obviously this mainly includes other gators, but also gators will ward off anything it deems a potential threat to the food supply in their territory.
#3. Be more apt to find new territory that’s easier to defend. Like a pool.
Fact is, most people think “Gators are shy”.
No, for about 50 years there weren’t as many incidents, because they were not nearly as densely populated in Florida’s rivers and lakes. Through conservation, their numbers skyrocketed, and quickly, to the point of over population. Now they are a nuisance. And because they are constantly fending their territory with each other they have become more aggressive over all, and now Floridian’s are noticing they are becoming more aggressive to both humans and other wildlife.
The left doesn’t want you to know this truth because the solution is simple. Decrease the cost of hunting permits, increase the duration of the season, remove regulation on the types of hunting, and market alligator skin the same way you market Florida orange juice.
Report Post »hi
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 10:51amHe is actually blessed that his arm came off and that he didn’t drown instead.
Report Post »davecorkery
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:17amBlessed? By whom? If your god is responsible for saving the boys life, then he should also be blamed for sending the gator. You can’t have it both ways. God is good or god is a jerk. 50/50.
Report Post »Rodhaines
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 11:53amDave needs to understand the source of evil before he can responsibly conduct a discussion on the subject. God did not send the alligator….man did.
Yes, the youngster is blessed that the alligator didn’t pull him down and drown him. That’s the way gators fight.
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 2:33pm@davecorkery—God is showing us his sense of humor by letting you comment!
Report Post »Halloween
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 5:04pmGod told me that he actually sent the gator to get his brother because of a sin he committed yesterday. Only problem was the devil got a hold of the gator at the last minute and the rest is history.
Report Post »321481
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 10:26amCrocs are more agressive than gators. I hate gators, but they are a fact of like here in Fl. This young man has probably swam in these water before without any problems, but really it is like playing russian roulette. What I found shocking is that years ago some tourist would see a gator sunning themselve on the side of the road and stop and try to put their children on their back. The only thing I could figure as these people just came from disney’s make believe world and stayed there mentally. Gator’s are dangerous (I know some will say the smaller ones only want to eat frogs, but they eventually get to the bigger stuff, like dogs and people), the bigger the more dangerous and they get bigger than this one.
Report Post »Marine 1
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 10:53amSorry about the loss of the arm young man but that’s why they have swimming pools in Florida.
Been to most of the state parks in FL and gators are everywhere. We even had them just down the road from us when we lived in unincorporated Orange County back in the 80‘s and 90’s. Snakes too!
As a SCUBA diver I always check the area before going in. People need to do the same thing before swimming in the lakes, springs, and rivers in FL.
A female gator protecting her babies is really bad news. Had a confrontation with one years ago while camping at Gold Head Branch State Park. She attacked the canoe I was in. That was fun!
Also, one day while we were there a baby was bitten in the rear end by a large rattlesnake and had to be flown out for treatment. FL is full of creatures you simply want to stay away from.
Again, sorry young man about the loss of the arm but to a gator or croc you are breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Report Post »kcares
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 9:43amPoor kid, he will never be the same. I had a finger reattached, and it has been a painful problem ever sense.
Report Post »watersRpeople
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 9:25amSeems like a good reason for the U.N to control the waterways to keep people away for their…..‘Own protection’, and even the boy youth whom got swept away out to sea by a wave in Hawaii.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 9:20amAt least he survived …….. Coulda been a lot worse !
Report Post »watersRpeople
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 9:19amYep, alligators will do that.
Report Post »Baja
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 9:06amMaybe people would think twice about their comments if the teen was their son.
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 9:20amIf this teen was my son, by now I would have taught him to understand that an Alligator could be in the water in Florida. I do hope this person recovers fully.
Report Post »caveman74
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 10:35amYou have danger where ever you live. It is unfortunate that this happens to people, but the boy will be fine. I don’t see much of a story here other than to feed the macabre nature of the rest of us. This is no different than swimming in waters where sharks hunt. People do it and sometimes humans and aquatic predators cross paths. Thank God the boy put his arm out because had he not the gator could have grabbed his torso and he would have drown when the gator started rolling. Who wants to bet hell be swimming again once his wounds heal? They are tough folks out there.
Report Post »Master.Debater
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 5:07pm“by now I would have taught him to understand that an Alligator could be in the water in Florida.”
Anyone who fishes from beach fishing piers knows the water near beaches in Florida and most other coastal regions of the US is crawling with sharks. I’ve caught many while bathers swim close by. But, like with alligators in rivers, attacks on humans are very rare. Will you also teach your kids to not swim in the ocean when visiting the beach because sharks could be there? The woods in Florida are full of poisonous snakes too. Better teach junior to avoid hiking in them. Better to be on the safe side and stay inside, playing video games. Your tone suggests that the parents did something wrong, but maybe it’s not a bad thing to be taught to live in fear of the world around us.
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 9:01amI don’t get it, an Alligator’s nature is to hunt like that. How come all these “Nature Folks” are so worried about the Polar bears, but then freak out when a natural preditor follows nature and does what it is supposed to do? And another question, why don’t all those Polar bear lovers care about the Seals that they would kill and eat? Never have I heard a person say,”at least all those innocent seals get to live sine the Polar Bears can’t hunt”?????
Report Post »cloudsofwar
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:56amyou go in the water and alligators are in the water. fairwell too you. i saw too many tarzan movies when i was a kid and know better too swim with gators or crocs. and his friends say they will go back in thw water, fools.
Report Post »4xeverything
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 9:02amI watched plenty of movies too. Don‘t crocs and gators ’tick-tock’ like a clock?
Report Post »Master.Debater
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 5:08pmback to the playstation with you!
Report Post »ComingUnglued
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:46amYour an idiot, the kid probably swam in that river his whole life. I hope it’s a quick recovery.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:42amSooooo, who do I contact to place an order for alligator shoes? Size 6, please. Oh, and a matching bag to go with it.
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 9:02amDo you mean an “hand bag”?
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 9:16amHa ha ha!!!!! Good one!!!
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 6:09pmIt might cost you an arm and a leg, though. :)
Report Post »jnobfan
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:41amDon’t know what is shocking about this story as opening sentence implies? Does the reporter have any idea where Moore Haven is? There are probably 3 times as many alligators as people in that area. Kid knew better. Must have been a dare.
Report Post »historyguy48
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:38amComrades stupid people actually feed alligators which helps them to lose their fear of man. Although a hungry gator will use humans as a food source anyway.
Report Post »While terrible, at least he survived the attack.
RightPolitically
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:37amDumb F.
Report Post »DIVINEPROVIDENCE1776
Posted on July 10, 2012 at 8:43amAren’t you the compassionate one? I suggest you get down on your knees and pray for some empathy.
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