A child was rushed to a Florida hospital after being bitten by an alligator while swimming in an off-limits nature preserve.The incident happened Monday afternoon at Weeki Wachee Preserve in Hernando County, according to a Facebook post from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.The victim, who has not been identified, suffered puncture wounds to the arm and leg after being bitten by an alligator estimated to be between 9 and 12 feet long, according to officials. BOATER SCARED OFF ALLIGATOR, THEN USED ROPE TO STOP BLEEDING AFTER FLORIDA WOMAN LOST ARMFollowing the attack, the victim and several others became isolated on a sandbar and were unable to safely make it back to the mainland.Hernando County Fire Rescue responded around 2:30 p.m.alongside the sheriff's office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.A young person was rushed to a Florida hospital after being bitten by an alligator (not pictured) while swimming in a preserve.
(iStock)Fire Rescue's Special Operations Marine Unit reached the group by airboat and brought them to safety while providing medical care to the injured victim.The victim was then transported to Bayonet Point Hospital for further treatment.The injuries were not considered life-threatening, authorities said.Christopher Gillette, owner of Bellowing Acres Animal Sanctuary in Interlachen, Florida, told Fox News Digital that Florida is home to about 1.3 million alligators and stressed the importance of swimming only in designated areas.The Hernando County Sheriff's Office, pictured here, responded to the alligator attack Monday afternoon at Weeki Wachee Preserve in Florida.(Hernando County Fire Rescue)"That's really kind of the root of the issue here: You're swimming in the no-swimming zone," Gillette said of the incident.
"We're very fortunate that the kid did survive."He added, "If you're going to go swimming, only go swimming in designated swimming zones where we know there are not alligators."CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTY...