Gator kills swimmer at Blue Spring, Orange City, Florida

[JE]

More than one? ...Wow, I don't think its usual for them to attack something that big.

We were shocked by this happening to the timid Manatee.....there were several gators at the mouth of the spring run & the manatee were riled up ! I do not know how many were in there....the water was boiling with active attacks by the gators. The manatee were rolling and trying to fight them off. I did not see blood in the water, but it was obvious they were being attacked. We kept our distance ! I have photos somewhere in my stacks of film & dvds....i have to look thru them & will post them when if possible.
The St. John's river is highly populated with both gators & manatee....the gators are native to Florida waters....the manatee swim inland from the Atlantic seeking warmer waters & vegetation to eat. I do not know how well the Manatee are able to defend theirselves...they are warm blooded mammals. Gators are reptiles & cold blooded. They will attack almost any mammal including humans if they are hungry ! There is a saying: Never feed or chum Bears, Sharks & Gators............>for good reason !

[metaldector]

A follow up today Wednesday the autopsies was released, the death of the victim was consistent with an alligator attack. We dove Blue Spring today and really kept our eyes peeled during our swim down the run, no gators.

[Scubaru]

Damn. I was hoping for a drowning as morbid as that sounds. I've got a stomachache for that family. Horrifying.