Fla. jogger killed by 'gator....

[Dr Mordrid]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/12/alligator.attack.ap/index.html

SUNRISE, Florida (AP) --

Trappers using pig lungs as bait scoured canals and other areas Friday as they tried to find an alligator that killed a woman out for a jog in Florida.

Yovy Suarez Jimenez's dismembered body was found in a canal Wednesday by construction workers.

The 28-year-old Davie resident had left Tuesday night and did not return.

Dr. Joshua Perper, Broward County's medical examiner, concluded Thursday that "the alligator attacked the woman while she was on land" and then dragged her body into a canal.

He added that she "died of traumatic injuries sustained by an alligator attack, a mixture of blood loss and shock, and in my opinion died very fast."

[Brian Ellis]

Easily done. One day, I was walking along a pathway on the edge of the Everglades, observing the birds in a canal. I exchanged a greeting with a guy sitting on the bank, fishing, just as he caught a fairish size fish, which started thrashing. This caught the attention of a large 'gator that was in the long grass on the bank, not more than a metre from where he was sitting and I must have passed within a metre of his snout. The reptile turned and slithered into the water and snapped the fish up for lunch, line and all. The angler cut his line and was obviously a little shaken. We stood looking at it for some time and we estimated it was probably 2½ - 3 m long. If it had decided to attack either of us, before we realised it was there, we probably would have been dragged into the canal within a second. Not the most pleasant of beasties, especially as thay can run mighty fast. Having seen many of them in Florida, I'm surprised that there aren't many more fatalities.

The best place for alligators is in your dinner plate, but I'm told that if you have eaten 'gator meat, the live critters know and will attack you more readily.

[Whirl-Secret]

I haven't been anywhere near alligator areas anywhere in the world, but isn't there some moral of the story - don't jog or fish in long grass where they live?

Brian where are you in Cyprus? I grew up in Limassol, but left 10 years ago.

[Brian Ellis]

Mosfiloti, 20 km W of Larnaca.

[Dr Mordrid]

The moral to the story is that in *totally* protecting the species they have allowed the population to grow so large that you can't play a round of golf without having to dodge several 'gators. IMO a more practical approach would be to allow limited harvesting of those that intrude into residential areas.

[Jessterw]

They're in no danger of going extinct, that's for sure. There used to be a far greater number of reported incidents involving 'gators, but until recently they'd died down. Now, with several contributing factors, the reports are starting to pick-up again. Alligators have this uncanny knack for ending up damn near everywhere. When I was still living on MacDill AFB in Tampa, there was a park area that had an 'island' in the center of a largish (man-made) pond; there'd long been rumours of 'gators inhabiting the waters and island. Sure enough, they found a small one and some larger bones during some construction area the area.

Then there's all the instances of 'gators getting a hold of small dogs and other pets in the Tampa Bay area.

[Dr Mordrid]

Just came across the wire that the 'gator has been captured under a nearby bridge. Confirmed by finding body parts in its GI tract.

[The PIT]

Just get a few of those Toads that are killing Gators in Australia. Gators eat them and die of poisoning which is surprising as gators normaly can eat anything.

[Jessterw]

Ah yes, one of those situations where you bring in a non-native species to either control or wipe-out another, only to have the non-native wreck more havoc than the former native species...

We've had all sorts of problems with that in the US, a species of bull frog being one of the latest. Damn things will eat a whole small bird.

[Dr Mordrid]

Amphibians are notorious for the neurotoxins in their skin

[Sasq]

TP was refering to cain toads, evil buggers. I'd say stick to the gators and open limited hunting season.

Same problem with the crocs in Oz, almost hunted to extinction, now fully protected, and over populating.

[TransformX]

I'v heard that in some parts of Australia there are salt-water crocs. Worse than sharks...

[Sasq]

aye they would be the problem.

they also put up no swimming signs in most places, tourists seem to think they are decoration.

tourists make good lunch.

the fresh water crocks on the other hand, while capable of giving you a nasty bite, aren't known for being aggressive or killing people.

Sadly there are times in extreme overpopulation, or drought the salties will go into fresh water holes...

[The PIT]

I like this

http://www.divethereef.com/Guides/CrocGuidelines.asp

[Dr Mordrid]

In other words: if you like to camp/fish etc. come to Michigan, Minnesota or other such locales with nothing more dangerous than the occaisional snapping turtle and more fish & game than you can imagine.

Good diving: yup

Scenery galore: yup

Possibility of becoming some critters lunch: very slight