When it comes to gator bites, it turns out we’re the problem (it’s us). Recent research has found that the vast majority of violent alligator incidents in the U.S. are provoked by “risky human behaviors.”
Scientists at the University of Florida and Centre College in Kentucky conducted the study, which analyzed recorded human bites from American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) dating back to the 18th century. Nearly all of the time, the encounters were preceded by humans not paying attention or taking ill-advised risks, such as swimming in waters clearly inhabited by the ferocious reptiles. The findings show that most gator bites are preventable, the authors say.
The researchers were inspired to look into the nature of gator bites by another reptile commonly—and incorrectly—blamed for attacking humans unprovoked: snakes.
“I wondered if crocodilians had an unwarranted reputation for attacks the same way snakes do,” said Mark Teshera, lead author of the study and a biology professor at Center College, in a statement from the University of Florida.
Teshera and his colleagues began by searching through the CrocBITE database (now located at CrocAttack.org), which has collected data on recorded alligator and crocodile attacks across the world. To track down other documented incidents, they searched online and in the academic literature, and also reached out to state fish and wildlife agencies. In total, they analyzed 270 gator bite incidents across 11 states recorded between 1734 and 2021, 44 of which were fatal.
The researchers then categorized the behaviors that people were engaged in right before the bite by their level of risk. In 96% of the incidents, the bites only happened after the person had taken some sort of “risky human behavior,” with roughly half involving a moderate level of risk. These risks included people not keeping a close eye on their children, people ignoring posted signs warning about gators in the water, or “contact while inebriated.” Only rarely did gators bite someone with no provocation, such as someone simply walking on a road, and those bites tended to cause less severe injuries (none of the “no-risk” bites were fatal).
The findings, published in the journal Human-Wildlife Interactions, suggest that most gator bites shouldn’t be viewed as “attacks” in the first place, according to the authors. And they argue that nearly all incidents can be prevented so long as people take the appropriate precautions around alligators.
“The takeaway lesson from this study is that many bites can be prevented if humans are aware of their surroundings and minimize risky behaviors such as walking small pets near bodies of water or swimming where alligators are known to be present,” said study researcher Frank Mazzotti, professor of wildlife ecology at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center.
Gators are found throughout Florida and parts of the U.S. southeast, particularly along coastal wetlands. They’re known to be more active and territorial during their mating season, which starts in April and extends through June. So now is the best time to proactively keep yourself safe if you live in gator country.
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