by Mandy Matney May 4, 2020. And you know, she's been alone. If an alligator attacks, experts say to poke at its eyes and punch and kick it around the head. Universal Images Group via Getty Images, FILE. 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. By Gina Martinez August 21, 2018 4:16 PM EDT. The gator, a 9-foot, 8-inch male, has been euthanized, officials said. A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal, according to the police report released Monday. Witness To Fatal SC Alligator Attack Said Victim Was 4 Feet From Pond And Warned Of Danger, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, 100,000 alligators live in South Carolina, South Carolina Beach Access Battle: Lowcountry Residents Turning On Each Other, SC Coronavirus: Projected Death Toll Skyrockets As Cases Climb, LIVE FEED Murdaugh Murders Trial: Day Twenty-Seven, South Carolina Freedom Caucus Files Lawsuit, Murdaugh Murders Trial: Attorney General Stands And Delivers. One officer was able to shoot the animal as it surfaced again, police said. During the call, the neighbor also went to go get the dog. But dangerous human-gator interactions are starting to happen more frequently because people are moving deeper into alligators habitat, says University of Florida professor Frank Mazzotti. As of August, there were 23 total alligator attacks since 1915, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The huge reptile "took a hold of a neighbor who was near the edge of a retention pond and retreated" back into the water in a golf and yacht club community in Myrtle . 14 of those attacks occurred in Beaufort County according to SCDNR records. Alligators do not have an instinct to attack humans, he says. Covert, of Johns Island, made no sound as the alligator pulled her under, the woman told police. Because theyre cold blooded animals, they regulate their body temperature as best they can based on the environment, he said. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The deadly attack, in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., was at least the fourth in the country this year. The woman Covert was staying with said she didnt seem herself Friday and walked toward the alligator, which lunged and grabbed her in its mouth when she was about 4 feet away, deputies said. Officials identified the woman as Nancy A. Becker, a resident of Sun City Hilton Head, who they believe was gardening near the pond and slipped into the water, where she was attacked by the alligator. An estimated 5 million wild American alligators live across 10 states in Southeast and beyond - even in the southeastern tip of Oklahoma. The 10-foot alligator, estimated at 400-500 pounds, then attacked Covert, who officials said was 5 feet tall and 100 pounds. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) officials urge residents and tourists to never feed alligators as it makes them more aggressive toward humans. a man was killed looking for Frisbees on May 31 in Florida, another manwas killed near a retention pond in South Carolina on June 24, an 80-year-old Florida woman was killed along a golf course, run-ins with the reptiles near their homes, What to know if you're bitten by a rattlesnake, What should you do if you see a bear? ABC 15 By Vimal Patel June 26, 2022 A man was killed on Friday after being dragged into a. Firefighters used poles to get Covert out of the pond but she died at the hospital, authorities said. While mating season brings an increase in their movement around May and June, alligator movement this time of year tends to be among waterways. This same shark off the coast of the Outer Banks began its tracking in . Deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman on Friday, authorities said. Experts from the University of Florida say to run in a straight line if an alligator is chasing you. KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. A woman killed by an alligator at a South Carolina pond told a friend she wanted to get close to the animal and didnt scream as it attacked her and dragged her into the water, according to a police report. However, this is the second fatal attack in a month. You try to maintain distance from the banks, and when you see them out, you admire them from afar. 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. Why Deadly Alligator Attacks Like South Carolina Are a Growing Trend. Before those attacks, South Carolina had never recorded a person killed by an alligator. Deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman on Friday, authorities said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common. That said, South Carolina's Post and Courier reports that the state recorded five deaths resulting from alligator attacks between 2016 and 2022 but none in the previous 16 years. Mazzotti says he believes a major factor in Clines death was her dog, which alligators perceive as food. It was at least the fourth deadly alligator attack in the United States so far this year. "Our hearts go out to the family and community members impacted by this tragic incident," a statement from police said. She stated her husband tried to save her friend, but the alligator dragged her under the water, the report said. The womans husband and another man tried beating the alligator with shovels, but the animal swam deeper, the police report said. Mazzoti added alligators "don't perceive humans as either a threat or as food.". Messages left for the department were not immediately returned on Sunday. South Carolina has been home to over 100,000 alligators. "Anywhere there is standing water, an alligator might be found," The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement to USA TODAY. Market data provided by Factset. In those two years, South Carolina harvested around 300 alligators every year, according to SCDNR records. Don't turn and run, expert warns, according toThe National Wildlife Federation. Now and then, he will see photos in the local news media of an alligator out and about, he said. Alligator attacks are rare, and there's an even slimmer chance of being killed by one. A woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, police said. According to SCDNR South Carolina has had only three fatal alligator attacks in its recorded history and each occurred within the last four years. Such attacks are rare in the United States, typically occurring about once a year, but the latest one on Friday was the second in less than a month. Its unlikely for them to leave the water to come after someone, he said. In an interview on Sunday, Mr. Repak said it was common to watch alligators walk on a road over a pair of retention ponds. 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. ". A South Carolina woman was rescued by a neighbor Thursday morning during a violent alligator attack in the state, authorities said. While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common as more humans move to alligator-populated areas. We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! 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 . This marks the fifth alligator death in South Carolina since 2000, according to the Department of Natural Resources and the sheriff's office. Just off of Cape Point this 1,500 shark was spotted on February 28th. Elderly South Carolina Woman Killed by an Alligator After Falling into Pond. Last summer, a 68-year-old woman was hospitalized after an alligator attack in Sun City-Hilton Head, the Island Packet repotted. Rescuers determined that an alligator took hold of a neighbor who was near the edge of a retention pond and retreated into it, the department said in a statement. Alligators typically breed and look for new habitats inthe spring and summertime, meaning there could be an increase in alligator activity. "I think she's gone. The Horry County Fire Rescue Department told ABC News it had no further information as of Monday morning. According to a 2019 University of Florida analysis, venomous injuries largely from contact with hornets, wasps and bees resulted in an average of more than 56 fatalities per year in the United States, compared with about one per year from alligator attacks. Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. The alligator took hold of a person near the edge of a retention pond on Friday,. An autopsy Monday found Covert died of drowning, the Charleston County Coroner's Office said. Florida had an. Charleston County harvested at least 162 alligators between 2017- 2018, while Beaufort County harvested 104 in that time. If a person is in the unfortunate situation where an alligator attacks a pet, Mazzotti says its best not to get in the alligators way. Alligators only attack when threatened or cornered, but if a human is in water with alligators, it may entice them. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, Why Deadly Alligator Attacks Like South Carolina Are a Growing Trend. A person died after an alligator dragged them into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, police said Friday. 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. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? 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. A person in South Carolina was killed after being dragged into a retention pond by an alligator near Myrtle Beach on Friday, authorities said. After repeatedly saying there was still no sight of the woman in the water, the neighbor then saw her body resurface. She saw an alligator and was fascinated by it and went to touch it, against her friends warning. An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. She stated her husband tried hitting the alligator as the alligator kept dragging her friend back into the water.. The woman's husband and another man tried beating the alligator with shovels, but the animal swam deeper, the police report said. While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common as more humans move to alligator-populated areas. A woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, police said. The dog survived the attack, per the FWC. In an extremely rare event, a South Carolina woman was killed in an alligator attack Friday on Kiawah Island, according to the Charleston County Sheriff's Office . ", RELATED VIDEO: Officials Say Shark Attacked Woman Who Vanished While Snorkeling with Husband, Blast 'Conspiracy Theories'. When nuisance trappers go into an area with gators theyll often play a recording of a dog barking and the gators will come and investigate.. Kilborn urged people to follow these safety tips: alligators are most active at night, so only swim in designated swimming areas during daylight hours; never feed an alligator; and keep your pets on a leash and away from the water's edge. After the attack, the FWC said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that the alligator was captured and killed by a contracted nuisance alligator trapper. The first one was not fatal, she added. "With how many people there are and how many alligators there are, it's really surprising it doesn't happen more often,"Frank Mazzotti, professor of wildlife ecology and member of the "Croc Docs" at the University of Florida, told USA TODAY. Mazzoti said you're more than likely to drown in water than be attacked by an alligator. Weeks earlier, Florida police found a deceased 47-year-old man in agator-infested lakemissing three limbs after a likely encounter with alligators. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. "She was walking her little dog, and the gator grabbed the dog," the neighbor added. KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) Authorities say deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman. It was no walk in the park for a South Carolina man who saved his dog from an alligator attack during a morning stroll. Alligators are naturally afraid of humans, but will attack in certain instances. 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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. `` she was walking her little dog, and when you see them out, you admire from! Off of Cape Point this 1,500 shark was spotted on February 28th magazines, or create a free account access. Meaning there could be an increase in alligator activity theyre cold blooded animals, they are becoming common! To one of Our articles alligator with shovels, but the animal according. 88-Year-Old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in Sun City-Hilton head, Island. Last four years cynthia Covert, who officials said was 5 feet and! Dragged them into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina had never recorded a died. 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