‘There’s an alligator on my arm’: Polk County gator attack report released

WESH, FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION, CNN

By LeeAnn Huntoon, Michelle Meredith

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    POLK COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — On March 3, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission received a call from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office reporting that an alligator had attacked a kayaker.

Christiane Salvador was kayaking the Tiger Creek Canal in Polk County when her kayak suddenly capsized.

According to the FWC report, she struggled to keep her head above water.

That’s when Christiane called out to her kayaking partner, “There’s an alligator on my arm.”

Per witnesses, Christiane’s husband, Phillip Salvador, tried to pull her torso onto his kayak, but her arm remained in the water.

The alligator’s snout came out of the water, and that is when Phillip could see his wife’s elbow in its mouth, the FWC report said.

Another kayaker, David Morse, was approximately 40 yards away when he said he heard the kayak flip over.

Morse saw Christiane’s torso over the top of Philip’s kayak, but could tell something was trying to drag her back into the water.

The alligator eventually released Christiane, and Phillip pulled her to shore and immediately started first aid.

Morse said he didn’t see the alligator until he tried to flip over Christiane’s kayak. That’s when the alligator attacked him, grabbing the front of his life vest and pulling him underwater.

Morse said he stuck his fingers deep into the Gator’s eyes. Once he got his footing, he undid the buckles on his life vest. That is when the alligator fled with the vest still in its mouth.

FWC and Polk County Fire Rescue arrived on the scene, where the Aero Med helicopter located the victim from the air.

Lake Kissimmee State Park employee Rick Kizis arrived via airboat. Two of the medical professionals from the helicopter got onboard the airboat to retrieve the victim and provide medical attention.

Christiane had severe injuries to her right upper forearm and two puncture wounds just below her elbow on her right arm, officials said. She was flown to Osceola Regional Hospital.

Medical staff are concerned about the risk of infection, but it appears she will not need to have her arm amputated at this time.

Christiane will require several reconstructive surgeries, outpatient care, and physical therapy to regain functionality of her arm and hand.

FWC SNAP contracted Nuisance alligator trappers Shirah and Doug Payne, who located and killed the female alligator measuring 8 feet, 3 inches.

Per the FWC report, there was no evidence of anyone feeding or molesting the alligators in the area. The alligator appeared to be acting in a protective/territorial manner.

Kim Titterington, a reptile expert, said, “This sounds like a scene out of a horror movie. I’m sure for the people who were going through it were terrified.”

Titterington suggested one possibility for the attack, noting that it was mating season and nesting season, and the alligator was female and over eight feet long.

“If you walk out back and you’re sitting in your lawn chair and a parade of 20 people walk into your backyard, you are going to feel like you need to defend your space. And again, when a female has her babies, they are very defensive, high protection because they have to protect their babies from other male gators as well,” Titterington said.

Alligator mating season typically begins in early April, with mating occurring between May and June. Alligators typically become more aggressive during this time, FWC said.

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