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A man lost his hand after a nine foot alligator attacked him on a Florida golf course.
Passersby stopped their golf carts to see the drama unfold after the alligator bit a man reeling in a fish from a pond in Leesbury on Sunday (March 10).
In a 911 call, the fisherman’s wife could be heard saying: ‘He took his hand off. His hand is gone.’
Ron Priest was in his backyard when he witnessed the alligator’s jaws snap shut around the man’s hand.
He told FOX 35: ‘While the guy was on the ground facing the gator, the gator got the guy in the hand and the two rolled.’
Priest said the alligator then hurried back into the water, ditching the fish and the fisherman on the bank of the pond.
A ‘Beware of alligator’ sign warned people they will be fined $500 if they feed wildlife in the area (Picture: FOX35)
The waters of Florida are famous for their residents baring sharp teeth and powerful jaws (Picture: FOX35)
The injured man received medical treatment at the scene before a helicopter airlifted him to a hospital in Orlando.
Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) shot the alligator, which it estimated to be roughly nine feet.
This is the protocol following alligator attacks on humans.
The fate of the fisherman’s hand remains unclear, as Priest was unsure whether it could be re-attached or must be disposed of.
He said: ‘It’s my understanding that [FWC] can’t dispose of a human part.
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‘It has to be sent to a medical facility, and so, in the odd chance that it could have been re-attached, they drove it to Orlando.’
The FWC emphasised the importance of caution around alligators, advising the public to back away and keep clear if they one.
Concerned individuals are encouraged to report any sightings or issues related to alligators to 866-FWC-GATOR.
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