What to do if you see an alligator and how to survive an attack, according to a wildlife expert who keeps pet gators
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Alligators can be very fast with powerful jaws. If you see one, try to get away from them as fast as possible. If one attacks, fight for your life.
If an alligator charges you, run away as fast as you can in a straight line. Don't zig-zag.
If an alligator bites you, don't try to pry its jaws open. Instead, smack its snout or go for its eyes.
Whatever you do, don't play dead or you might end up dead.
For years, Hollywood movies have shown humans at war with alligators and their crocodilian cousins. Either they're attacking us, or we're attacking them.
American alligators have been around for as long as the dinosaurs — over 150 million years. But unlike dinosaurs, alligators stuck around.
Sure, alligators can be vicious, technically they're apex predators, albeit very patient ones.
Alligators are usually pretty chill, as long as you respect their space.
"There are rare instances, of course, where females might be guarding a nest, and if you're in Florida, or you're in an area where alligators are found, and you come across a nest with a female, she is going to be angry, and she will come after you," Maxey said.
Alligators are quick and can run up to a speed of 11 mph, but they can't sustain that very long.
But what if it's too late? And that gator sinks its teeth into you? Fight back!
"You want to fight back, you want to give it your all, because that will more than likely allow the alligator to release you — they're going to realize, oh gosh, I don't want to deal with this," Maxey said.
Don't try to pry open the jaws. You're dealing with a bite force of 3,000 pounds.
Some experts say that while fighting back, you should smack the gator's sensitive snout, and also try to gouge the gator's eyes.
"I feel like that's easier said than done. When you have something sudden happen to you, it's going to be very hard to be like, 'Oh wait, where are the eyes?' you know?" Maxey said. "So I think the best thing to do would be to fight back, put up a fight, definitely don't play dead. If you play dead, you might become dead," Maxey added.
But perhaps most important, stay out of their territory.
"When alligators do attack humans or bite them, it's mainly by mistake, and then usually they'll let go, 'cause they'll realize, ah, this isn't a deer, this isn't a raccoon, this is foreign object, this is not something that I would want to eat," Maxey said.
Lucky us.
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