A woman by the name of Nancy A. Becker – who lives in an adult community in South Carolina known as Sun City Hilton Head – has been killed by an alligator.

On Monday, August 15^th 2022, the woman was engaging in gardening activities near a pond. She slipped into a nearby lagoon that is manmade on the property.

This summer, the woman’s death makes the second time a person has died as a result of an alligator attack within South Carolina.

In this brief guide, you will learn steps to preventing an attack and what to do should you become a victim of an alligator attack. 

How to Avoid an Alligator Attack

The following steps will aid in the prevention of an alligator attack in states where the reptiles exist:

1. First, you should never feed an alligator. In addition to this, you should avoid feeding animals that are known to reside in the same waters as alligators. This includes turtles, fish, and ducks. 
2. If you observe an alligator, you should always maintain a distance of – at least – 60 feet. If the creature growls, hisses, or lunges towards your direction, you are too close to it. You should make an effort to move back, but avoid rash, sudden movements. 
3. Both children and pets should be closely monitored in areas that are known for alligators and around bodies of water. Alligators may deem both a food source and due to the relatively small size, attack them. 
4. Naturally, it is advised that you avoid getting too close to the edge of a water source and getting into heavy amounts of natural vegetation. Remember, an alligator will see you before you see it – in most instances. 
5. If you observe an alligator moving from one location to another, allow it to do so. You should avoid interfering. The most active months for alligator movements are those that fall within the spring and the summer. 

How to Handle an Actual Attack

If you find yourself the victim of an alligator attack, there are some steps that you may take to get away from the creature:

• An alligator has several sensitive areas on and around the head. These include the eyes, the side region of the jaws, and directly on top of the skull. If a gator has you, poke and/or hit these areas as hard as you can. In most instances, the creature will let go and you will be able to get away from it. 
• If the gator has you and its mouth is open, try to jam items directly into the back of the mouth. This will cause the initiation of the gag reflex of the creature and it will likely let go of you. 
• The jaws of an alligator are very strong – in terms of closing power. If attacked, the creature may clamp down on one of your extremities and may start to twist and roll around. Instead of fighting this, try to grab onto the creature and just go with the movements. This will help in preventing severe and potentially life-threatening damage to your extremity. If the creature lets go, move that part of your body out of its mouth. If you are unable to get away, try to push down on the jaws. They have weak opening power. 

Contact Us Today 

If you have a nuisance alligator on your property, contact us here at Palmetto Wildlife Extractors today. Do not attempt to harm or capture the alligator yourself. We have the tools, resources, and expertise to remove these creatures quickly and safely. For more information, you may contact us today by calling the following number: 855-465-1088