Seven things to know about Florida's alligators
The frequency of serious, unprovoked alligator bites has grown in Florida along with the state's population — but fatal attacks remain rare.
Here are seven things to know about alligators from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
—Associated Press
Endangered status
More than a million alligators live throughout Florida, though the species remains listed as a protected species because it closely resembles the endangered American crocodile.
Rare attacks
There have been 23 fatalities caused by wild alligators in Florida since 1973, among 383 unprovoked bites not caused by someone handling or intentionally harassing an alligator. Florida averages about seven serious unprovoked bites a year, and officials put the odds of someone being seriously injured by an unprovoked alligator in Florida at roughly one in 2.4 million.
Fight back
If an alligator bites you, make a commotion: hit or kick the alligator, or poke it in its eyes, because alligators will retreat from prey they can't easily overwhelm.