Alligator bites woman at Cypress Gardens | Local News | Our Gazette

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Alligator bites woman at Cypress Gardens

Published Wednesday, March 10, 2010 11:25 AM

By Dan Brown and Frank Johnson
The Gazette

An alligator bite sustained by a Cypress Gardens visitor on Monday afternoon was the result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, according to Cypress Gardens Director Dwight Williams.

The visitor – a female – was walking on one of the Cypress Gardens trail when she surprised an alligator, who bit her on the leg and hand. The injuries were not serious.

According to the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred shortly after 1 p.m.

“The wound was a puncture wound on the leg,” Williams said. “The alligators aren’t feeding at this time of year. The bite was purely a defensive maneuver.”

Williams added that South Carolina Department of Natural Resources agents – who were called to the scene on Monday – estimated the alligator to be between three and six feet in length.

While Cypress Gardens no longer contains an alligator exhibit there are alligators in the swamps and on the grounds.

“We make no effort to fence in or feed the alligators,” Williams said. “They come and go. The alligators migrate into the swamp from Durham Creek and the Cooper River.”

Both Durham Creek and the Cooper River run adjacent to the park.

Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Mike Willis said the incident was just one of those things where both the person and the alligator were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“This was purely a defensive maneuver by the alligator,” Willis said. “I understand the path where she was walking is narrow and surrounded by water on both sides.”

Willis confirmed that the wounds were not serious, only puncture wounds on the right leg and right hand.

Willis added that there have only been a handful of encounters like since the DNR started recording such attacks in the 1970s and the first incident recorded at Cypress Gardens.

“There have been no human deaths reported from alligator attacks in South Carolina,” Willis said. “There are alligators in the area and people should always be aware of the presence of alligators and other wildlife when in such areas.”

Willis said that the alligator had not been captured and there is no way to accurately identify the alligator in question.

“An alligator is an alligator,” he said. “There are several in the area all the time.”

The DNR considers the incident an unfortunate encounter and does not see any further trips to Cypress Gardens as being necessary.

“Any investigation is closed,” Willis said.

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