Alligator chomps off hand that fed it
July 30th, 2012 - 7:26 pm ICT by IANSWashington, July 30 (IANS) A boat captain in the US has been charged with unlawfully feeding an alligator after the reptile bit off his hand in Florida Everglades, one of the largest wetlands in the world, The Sun reported.
The 63-year-old Wallace Weatherholt lost his right hand while undertaking a trip on his propeller-driven airboat in Everglades.
He had been dangling a fish over the water to entice the alligator, which leapt out and savaged him, the tourists on the craft told wildlife officials. The skipper, however, was able to steer the airboat back to base and was rushed to hospital.
Though the alligator was tracked down and killed, doctors failed to reattach Weatherholt’s hand.
Since feeding alligators is a criminal offence in Florida state, Weatherholt was jailed but later released on bail.
When the reptiles are fed, they lose their natural fear of humans and are more likely to attack, says alligator expert David Weathers.
- Man charged after losing hand to alligator - Jul 30, 2012
- Kate Gosselin And Children Visit Discovery Cove - Jun 07, 2010
- Gator Bites off the Hand of Florida Teen - Jul 14, 2010
- US Everglades, Madagascar forests added to UNESCO's endangered list - Aug 01, 2010
- 7-Feet Long Gator Found In A Tampa Middle School - Jun 08, 2010
- Teen's baggy pants save him from gator bite - Apr 07, 2011
- Alligator attacks police car - May 04, 2011
- Searching for cannabis, British cops come across alligator - Jun 20, 2012
- Is Adele dating Simon Konecki? - Jan 04, 2012
- Pong wetlands hosting over 100,000 feathered guests (Feb 2 is World Wetlands Day) - Feb 02, 2012
- Nancy Corcione Thought Her Pet Gator was Just a Big Lizard - Oct 05, 2010
- 750 pound shark caught in Florida - Oct 10, 2009
- 3-Foot Alligator Unearthed In A City Of Massachusetts - Aug 24, 2010
- Kashmir arranges free lunches for migratory birds (With Images) - Jan 13, 2012
- Alligator found in a Brampton home backyard - May 24, 2012
Tags: airboat, alligator, alligators, boat captain, chomps, criminal offence, david weathers, doctors, fish, florida everglades, florida state, natural fear, reptiles, skipper, sun, tourists, weatherholt, wetlands, wildlife officials