This is the first deadly alligator attack in the state since May 2020, according to authorities. By Gina Martinez August 21, 2018 4:16 PM EDT. Mazzoti added alligators "don't perceive humans as either a threat or as food.". I couldnt have imagined that it was likely one of these alligators that would later kill a man, he wrote on Friday. A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal . First published on August 15, 2022 / 7:30 PM. Prior to that attack, an unidentified victim died after analligatordragged them into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. May is mating season for alligators in South Carolina, which means alligators are more active this time of the year. An autopsy Monday found Covert died of drowning, the Charleston County Coroner's Office said. An alligator lays in the grass in Myrtle Beach, S.C., April 29, 2003. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter:@jordan_mendoza5. Benjamin previously served as Columbia's mayor from 2010 to 2021 and currently sits as the CEO and president of the Benjamin Firm, LLC. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The South Carolina woman rescued by her neighbor as she was being attacked by an alligator is the second woman to have been attacked in such a manner on Hilton Head Island in only three years . In 2018, an eight-foot-long . The woman's body was recovered about two hours later, and as of 4 p.m. local time the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources remained on the scene attempting to locate and remove the alligator from the pond, police said. Because theyre cold blooded animals, they regulate their body temperature as best they can based on the environment, he said. Her death has been. Alligators are found throughout the Southeast and wetlands, with their range stretching as far west as eastern Texas, and as far east as coastal North Carolina, according toThe National Wildlife Federation. An estimated 5 million wild American alligators live across 10 states in Southeast and beyond - even in the southeastern tip of Oklahoma. It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near the pond and slipped in. There were an average of about 10 alligator bites a year in the 2010s, compared with an average of eight a year in the 1980s. Deputies with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office were notified around 11:15 a.m. about an alligator that looked as if it was "standing guard" beside a . It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near a pond in Sun City Hilton Head, an adult-only community, and slipped in, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and the Department of Natural Resources. SCDNR officials have estimated that 100,000 alligators live in South Carolina. Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. A biologist with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and an alligator-removal contractor determined that the animal needed to be humanely euthanized on site, the police said. Updated on: August 15, 2022 / 7:34 PM Cynthia Covert, 58, drowned Friday after an alligator repeatedly pulled her into a pond on Kiawah Island, according to a report from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. Despite what seems to be increasing frequency, Mazzotti says attacks are still remarkably rare, considering the number of alligators in southeastern U.S. According to SCDNR South Carolina has had only three fatal alligator attacks in its recorded history and each occurred within the last four years. Alligators will often reposition its bite, take advantage of that to get away. She was a good friend to a lot of people in the park.". Experts explain why. Alligator attacks are very rare, even in Louisiana and Florida. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. The body of an 88-year-old woman who was killed by an alligator was discovered on Monday in a pond in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., officials said. The death of Cassandra Cline, a 45-year-old elementary school teacher, who was killed by a 9-foot alligator while protecting her dog on Hilton Head Island Monday made headlines around the world. A baby alligator was spotted running on the loose outside of a South Carolina Starbucks recently. The victim in the May attack in Florida was identified as Sean Thomas McGuinness. Early in the year, when water is cooler, its common to see them on the banks sunning themselves. While he was unaware of the details of Mondays alligator attack, Mr. Butfiloski said that such attacks typically happen when a person is near the edge of a body of water, and occur more frequently when a person is accompanied by a pet. All rights reserved. The body of an 88-year-old woman was found near a pond in a gated community near Hilton Head, South Carolina, after what authorities suspect was an alligator attack. Theyre not going to chase you down the fairway in these golfing communities., Alligator Kills 88-Year-Old Woman in South Carolina, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/15/us/alligator-attack-south-carolina.html. CLICK HERE. A person walking their dog discovered his body along the shoreline the next morning, the police said. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, Why Deadly Alligator Attacks Like South Carolina Are a Growing Trend. The Florida commission says the chances of a Florida resident being seriously injured in an unprovoked alligator attack are in one in 3.1 million. Anyone can read what you share. When deputies arrived, the alligator kept surfacing with Covert and going under. She kept yelling as Covert crept closer to the gator. Market data provided by Factset. Don't turn and run, expert warns, according toThe National Wildlife Federation. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Texas Parks and Wildlifesays a safe distance away from an alligator is at least 30 feet, and while extremely rare for them to chase humans, they can run up to 35 mph for a short period of time. The Horry County Fire Rescue Department told ABC News it had no further information as of Monday morning. It was at least the fourth deadly alligator attack in the United States so far this year. "Anytime you show up next to water, you're assuming some risk Don't tempt it.". All rights reserved. The good news for humans: Alligators have a natural fear of humans and usually will retreat when approached, Texas Parks and Wildlife says. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. From our records, there wasnt an attack from 1915 to 1976, but that could just be because they werent newsworthy back then.. The giant reptile was captured and euthanized on site. A 43-year-old man was attackedby an alligatorand treated for a "serious injury in his arm" onJuly 20and a 34-year-old man was bit on his face during a swim in a Florida lake onAug. 4. "I see her," the neighbor said with audible emotion in her voice. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Responders found the gator "guarding" Becker, officials said. 1894 shipwreck found in Lake Huron, confirming "powerful, tragic story", Bipartisan Senate group unveils rail safety bill in response to Ohio derailment, What to know about Shigella bacteria as drug-resistant strain spreads, Woman killed in apparent alligator attack, Woman killed in apparent South Carolina alligator attack, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect. Sun City Hilton Head, a residential community for older adults that has many ponds, is about 15 miles west of Hilton Head Island and covers roughly nine square miles. Authorities say the woman "died as a result of the incident" and that her body was recovered, according to a statement previously obtained by PEOPLE from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. It was no walk in the park for a South Carolina man who saved his dog from an alligator attack during a morning stroll. Alligator Attacks and Kills Florida Woman, 85, Who Was Walking Her Dog, Florida Man Hospitalized After Alligator Bites His Face During Swim Near Tampa, 88-Year-Old S.C. Woman Dead After Being Attacked by Alligator at Retirement Community, 11-Foot Alligator Attacks and Kills Florida Woman, 85, Who Was Walking Her Dog, Florida Alligator Stuck in Pond with Her Mouth Taped Shut Is Rescued and Freed After 2 Months, Fla. Man Hospitalized After Alligator Bites His Face During Swim Near Tampa, Girl, 16, Dies in Australia Shark Attack After Jumping into Water to Swim with Dolphins: 'We Are Devastated', 10-Ft. Alligator Spotted on a Florida Beach, Body Cam Footage of Paul Pelosi's Attack Released, Showing Moment Assailant Lunged at Him with Hammer, Man Helps Rescue 77-Year-Old Woman Attacked by Alligator at Retirement Community: 'He Saved Her', 'We Were in the Middle of Dancing': Witness Describes Horror of Mass Shooting at Calif. KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) Authorities say deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman. Watch Live: Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Intel review says "very unlikely" foreign adversary behind "Havana Syndrome", Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. Just off of Cape Point this 1,500 shark was spotted on February 28th. Its unlikely for them to leave the water to come after someone, he said. Becker's autopsy will be conducted Tuesday, officials said. Covert, of Johns Island, made no sound as the alligator pulled her under, the woman told police. May 5, 2020 / 6:24 AM / CBS/AP. It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near a pond in Sun City Hilton Head, an adult-only community, and slipped in, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and the Department of Natural Resources. "She fell down and [it] took her.". Mazzotti says he believes a major factor in Clines death was her dog, which alligators perceive as food. ". Leanne Golino. An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. However, when she returned, the woman had been pulled into the water. Deadly alligator attacks on humans are rare. Alligators tend to be more active at night, Mr. Butfiloski said, and come out around dusk. This was the first fatal attack in the state by an alligator since May 2020. The woman was walking her dog around a Hilton Head. A-Z Animals reports that a 1,500-pound great white shark is off the coast of the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Legal Statement. The Florida conservation commission said in November 2021 there were 442 unprovoked alligator bites in Florida from 1948 to 2021, averaging six a year. The body of a man who had been retrieving Frisbees from a lake in Largo, Fla., which serves as a habitat for alligators, was found on May 31. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The sheriff's office received a call around 11:15 a.m. Monday about a large alligator in a gated community by the edge of a pond, guarding a person's body. In 2020, an alligator killed 58-year-old Cynthia Covert in a Kiawah Island, South Carolina attack, marking the third fatal alligator attack in state history since 2016. For reference, you have a better chance of getting attacked by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. In an extremely rare event, a South Carolina woman was killed in an alligator attack Friday on Kiawah Island, according to the Charleston County Sheriffs Office. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. The victim, identified as Cynthia Covert, was dragged into a pond behind her friend's home on Kiawah Island, near Charleston, and said calmly, "I guess I won't do this again," as her friend tried to pull her away from the alligator. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Messages left for the department were not immediately returned on Sunday. The deadly attack, in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., was at least the fourth in the country this year. A woman in South Carolina was killed by an alligator Monday, the state's second deadly attack this year, authorities said.The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and other emergency services were at . A person in South Carolina was killed after being dragged into a retention pond by an alligator near Myrtle Beach on Friday, authorities said. A woman was killed in an alligator attack Monday in South Carolina,officials confirmed,in what has become an unusual year for alligator attacks. Magazines, Digital by Mandy Matney May 4, 2020. / CBS News. A woman killed by an alligator at a South Carolina pond told a friend she wanted to get close to the animal and didn't scream as it attacked her and dragged her . The fatal alligator attack in South Carolina on Friday was the first in the state since May 2020. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Also make yourself appear as big as possible, the bigger you appear, the less likely the gator is to engage.. The Charleston County Sheriffs Office responded to the incident on Salt Cedar Lane, Kiawah Island around 5 p.m. Friday. An officer observed the alligator and the victim surface in the water, the report said. Alligators do not have an instinct to attack humans, he says. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Anyone can read what you share. The creature is most abundant in Louisiana and Florida, with each state having a population of over 1 million alligators. ABC 15 By Vimal Patel June 26, 2022 A man was killed on Friday after being dragged into a. ', Man Fatally Shot Ex-Girlfriend's Sister After Convincing Her to Pull Over on Road, Then Killed Himself, remembered by loved ones as being a "good friend. Fatal alligator attacks are rare in the United States, typically occurring about once a year, but the latest was the second in less than a month. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. The officers were called to a pond on Kiawah Island around 5 p.m. and saw. Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. In South Carolina, they can be found in the states coastal marshlands, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Then, the gator bit his leg. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The first one was not fatal, she added. Last week, an alligator attacked and ate a 40-pound dog that was playing fetch with his owner in Florida's J.R. Alford Greenway Trail. A man was killed on Friday after being dragged into a retention pond by an alligator near Myrtle Beach, S.C., the first such deadly attack in the state since 2020, the authorities said. However, at 5:46 p.m., the HCPD released a statement that the Environmental Services and Criminal Investigations Divisions were working on a death investigation. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, according to the Charleston County Sheriffs Office. 'Walkers beware! She stated her husband went down and grabbed a shovel and she called 911,the report said. The victim was recovered from the pond, and the alligator was removed and euthanized on site. A woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, police said. Alligators are mostly concentrated in Florida and Louisiana but are present in several other states. Before Fridays deadly attack, the most recent incident was a 44-year-old teacher in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina who was killed by an alligator while walking her dog near a lagoon in the gated community of Sea Pines. On Aug. 11, Bruce Savage took his dog, Hanna, for a morning walk near. "If you should be attacked, fight like your life depends on it because it does," Mazzoti said. As of August, there were 23 total alligator attacks since 1915, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Before that, Bonnie Walker, 90, wandered off her senior living center and was killed in an attack in Charleston, South Carolina in 2016. They aren't the only run-ins people have had with the creatures. . Newly acquired data from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources suggests there has been an increase in the number of alligator encounters in the Palmetto State . A Florida man thought a 7-foot alligator was dog on long leash. Aug. 15, 2022 The body of an 88-year-old woman who was killed by an alligator was discovered on Monday in a pond in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., officials said. The 10-foot alligator, estimated at 400-500 pounds, then attacked Covert, who officials said was 5 feet tall and 100 pounds. Covert was pulled under the water shortly after, the report read. Of those bites, 26 were fatal, meaning there was one fatal injury nearly every three years in the state. Charleston County harvested at least 162 alligators between 2017- 2018, while Beaufort County harvested 104 in that time. Photo: Getty. When Covert was about four feet from the edge of the water, the alligator attacked and dragged her into the water, according to the incident report. She stated her husband tried to save her friend, but the alligator dragged her under the water, the report said. An 80-year-old woman was killed by two alligators in Englewood, Fla., in July; a man who had been retrieving Frisbees from a lake in Largo, Fla., was killed in May; and in June, a man was killed after being dragged into a retention pond by an alligator in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Officials said there had been 18 alligator-related episodes and five deaths reported in South Carolina since 2000. It was at. Florida is known to be the home of alligators, and residents have numerous run-ins with the reptiles near their homes, golf courses or roads. A South Carolina woman was rescued by a neighbor Thursday morning during a violent alligator attack in the state, authorities said. Write to Gina Martinez at gina.martinez@time.com. 1 Dead in Fatal Alligator Attack at South Carolina Retention Pond Near Myrtle Beach. In those two years, South Carolina harvested around 300 alligators every year, according to SCDNR records. When we got there thats exactly what we found, said Maj. Angela Viens, a public information officer with the Beaufort County sheriffs office. You try to maintain distance from the banks, and when you see them out, you admire them from afar. FLORIDA WOMAN ATTACKED BY ALLIGATORS AT COUNTRY CLUB IDENTIFIED. Police said the victim, whose identity has not been released yet, was recovered from the pond and the alligator was removed. When it gets really hot in the summer, a lot of time theyll spend time below the water, where its cooler.. She stated her husband tried hitting the alligator as the alligator kept dragging her friend back into the water.. On Monday morning police responded to a report of an alligator attack at a pond inside the Sun City gated community, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Got a tip for a story? "Our prayers go out to the loved ones of the victim and the Spanish Lakes' residents who knew the victim and witnessed the attack," Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a statement shared on social media. Observed the alligator was spotted on February 28th couldnt have imagined that it was no walk in the Friday! Come after someone, he says to the gator is to engage attack., broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed Growing Trend Becker, was recovered the! An officer observed the alligator was removed and euthanized on site some do. The states coastal marshlands, according to authorities also make yourself appear as big as possible the. 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