Gator Attacks Hiker Who Stepped On It While Walking On FL Trail: Reports

NAPLES, FL — A woman was attacked by an alligator while hiking on a Southwest Florida trail on Sunday, according to multiple reports.

The gator bit her on the arm and the leg after she accidentally stepped on the reptile while walking through water at the Crew Bird Rookery Swamp in Naples, WINK News reported.

The woman was brought to a nearby hospital after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the North Collier Fire Department responded to the incident, Gulf Coast News said.

A contracted nuisance alligator trapper was called in to relocate the gator, the Miami Herald said. It was unknown as of Monday whether the trapper was able to capture and relocate the reptile.

One hiker who frequents the area told WINK she was surprised to learn about the attack.

"I'm shocked. I've never heard of anyone being attacked or bit by an alligator," she said, noting that she’s never felt threatened by them while on the trails before. "They are very docile in my experience.”

Piper Jones, CREW’s education coordinator, told the outlet that often gator attacks on humans are about defense — especially during mating season.

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Courtship between sexually mature gators begins in April with mating taking place in May or June, according to the FWC website.

Female gators build their mound nests, where they deposit, on average, 32 to 46 eggs, in late June or early July, the agency said. Hatching occurs from mid-August through early September.

“A lot of times when people are attacked by an alligator or bitten by an alligator, it is purely out of defense,” Jones said, noting that they’re more aggesive when nesting. “Females are going to be very protective of their nest, and males are also going to be more protective of their territory in general, possibly.”

She recommends hikers keep a safe distance from gators and their habitats as a safety precaution.

“They’re not going to come out and want to eat you, but they are going to practice defense mechanisms if you’re walking in their habitat,” Jones said.