An alligator recently attacked a Florida man at a wildlife park, which resulted in the need for amputation of most of his forearm because of severe crushing injuries.

According to a Newsweek report, the director of wildlife at Florida Gator Gardens, Greg Graziani, was attacked around 100 miles from Tampa on August 17 while having routine interaction with the large alligators of the park.

 

The park's social media post indicated that the incident left Graziani with a severely injured hand and arm. After the attack, he was taken to Tampa General Hospital.

In another post, the park wrote, "The accident was an extreme injury" that left this man hand connected by one tendon.

It added that it was a tendon and some muscle that the surgeon needed to intwist six times during the initial operation.

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Alligator
(Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
An alligator in the Wakodahatchee Wetlands on February 15, 2021, in Delray Beach, Florida


Previous Alligator Attacks

Alligators are typically found throughout Florida and other nearby states and can grow up to 14 feet in length.

Usually, they feed on fish, turtles, snakes, birds, and small mammals, although they are opportunistic and therefore may attack other animals and even humans especially if hungry.

In the previous month alone, several alligator attacks have been reported in the South. One in early August at Lake Thonotosassa near Tampa, where a man was bitten on the face by an alligator while he was swimming.

The other attack was reported in mid-August after an 88-year-old woman from South Carolina was attacked and killed after slipping while gardening.

Infrequent Attacks

Professor of wildlife ecology Frank Mazzotti from the University of Florida said alligators do not sense humans as either a threat or food.

He added that with the number of people and alligators there, it's really surprising that attacks do not occur more frequently.

The hand of Graziani could not be saved and was amputated, living him with only half of his left forearm.

The park explained the incident in its post on social media that a procedure had been carried out to reroute the nerves from the amputated limb in such a manner that's helping eliminate phantom pain and provides an option for prosthetics at the topmost of technological advancements and innovations.

2nd Attack in a Decade

This incident was not the first time Graziani was put at the wrong end of an alligator. Back in 2013, he nearly lost his right arm while capturing an alligator on someone's property in which he broke multiple bones.

Despite his multiple altercations with the giant reptiles, Graziani is still dedicated to the creatures' protection and educating the public about them.

Even through the pain and strong medication, the man still preaches his reptile education to nurses, doctors, and visitors, according to the park.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said American alligators face several threats, including the destruction and degradation of their wetlands by human actions.

Endangered Species

Alligators are federally categorized as a "threatened species" and are protected by the Endangered Species Act.

A similar Eunews24 report said, the alligator involved in the injury was uninjured, and would not face any punishment type or form from the park.

Every time they work with animals, they never fail to recognize the gravity of the situation, the park wrote.

It added that they are working with an animal where training and collaboration with species are taught, and it typically goes against quite a few instincts.

The park also said that each animal deserves respect and recognition for its instincts, power, behavior, and training.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is actively investigating the recent alligator attack.

Related information about surviving an alligator attack is shown on Real Wild's YouTube video below:

 

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