Alligator attacks Sanibel woman 74-year-old resident bitten on leg, arm

The News-Press ^ | April 22, 2004 | By GRANT BOXLEITNER

[mylife]

A nearly 10-foot-long alligator bit a woman on the leg and arm and dragged her into a Sanibel lake Wednesday evening as she was gardening near the bank behind her home, Sanibel police said.

Jane C. Keefer, 74, of 1075 Blue Heron Drive, still was being treated in the emergency room at HealthPark Medical Center early today after being attacked by a 9-foot, 7-inch-long male alligator about 8 p.m. in the Gulf Shores subdivison.

[mylife]

When you think about it, snow isn't all that bad!

[JJ142]

Memo to self: take a couple of extra cow lungs to Florida on next vacation.

[Williams]

Another pair of pathetic stories about humans happily offered as bait to vicious predators. "we protect the alligators." It "probably went for the dog and he got in the way (foolishly) trying to protect the dog." of course, the alligator seemed just as happy with the leg now, didn't it? My favorite is when they say the shark doesn't want to harm you, it just "mistakes you for its food."

[mylife]

the shark doesn't want to harm you, it just "mistakes you for its food."

LOL

[Becki]

“I had no idea it was an alligator,” Ellen Steele said. “His legs were still in the water and there was no blood. We live among alligators; we protect them. They have never attacked us before.”

Just Damn!

Becki

[fat city]

My 83 year old mom lives & golfs in Naples and with the gators in the water hazards my game goes all to hell-- too much like miniature golf.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Tough golf course!

[MARTIAL MONK]

...gator got your granny

[Jeff Chandler]

Amos Moses bump.

[ZULU]

Alligators are potentially dangerous animals. Should they be exterminated? No.

But obviously people should use common sense around them and they, like black bears, don't belong in heavily populated areas.

[ZULU]

The best defence against an alligator (or croc)?

A large heavily bristled push-broom. As they approach, push the broom into their eyes. They will back up and move away. I worked in an aligator - crocodile pond once and one of us fed the crocs and gators individually one by one with long metal tongs. The other keeper kept order by pushing the animals not being fed away with the broom. It worked. They had to be fed individually or the bigger animals would get all the mackeral and horse liver.

Alligators and Crocs howvever are "ambush" predators". In the wild, they lie concealed in the water's edge waiting for a fresh meal to approach unawares, then rush them. It isn't the croc or gator you can see that is the problem, its the one you can't.

By the way, a croc or gator can outrun a man for a short distance on land. Its obvious they can outswim us.

Interesting beasts - highly intelligent and distantly related to the Dinosaurs.

Another positive about gators - they just love fresh water moccassin. Cottonmouths are not common where there a lot of gators.

[fat city]

Awesome, ZULU, you have my most profound respect. Guess I'll put a broom in my bag next round.

[crz]

Would make for some fine shoes.

[Jorge]

I've been to Sanibel Island a couple of times. Absolutely beautiful place.

I had no idea alligators lived out there in the salt water.

[mylife]

Would make for some fine shoes.

I have a friend that had a 54 Kaiser with alligator seats and an alligator roof, chrome dashboard...totally over the top!

[CurlyDave]

“This is the kind of gator that will kill you,”

Is there a kind that wont kill you?

[dawn53]

We live on a golf course, and in the lake across the street there are alligators. It's not unusual to see oone sunning on any given afternoon.

If a golfer approaches them, they will dart into the water.

I get concerned when I see golfer's reaching down into the water to get their golf ball.

If they become a nuisance (i.e. one killed a large dog a couple years ago) Animal Control will come and trap it. Last one they trapped was 10 foot 4 inches.

Most alligators get bold when people feed them or enter into their "territory."

We've had one wander into our back yard. We called AC and they said, just leave the gate open and it'll find it's way back to the lake, and they were right after a day, it decided to go back to it's home.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Sanibel Police Chief Bill Tomlinson said the animal’s actions toward Keefer, who was stable and in good condition while being treated, appeared to have been unprovoked.

Huh? Alligator = hungry = moving "animal" nearby = provoked.

That's all it takes.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Almost ALL the golf courses in FLA are like that. I can think of two myself - Innisbrook, Saddlebrook, for starters. Do NOT attempt to retrieve golf balls hit into lakes in FLA if you value your life!!!!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I get concerned when I see golfer's reaching down into the water to get their golf ball.

You and me both! (See my post above ;-)