“We stopped and I got out of the car and saw that a crocodile was holding him by the leg,” Walter Rudder recalled to a local news outlet about the frightening incident.
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Stock image of an alligator
A Florida man ran over an 11-foot alligator with his truck to save his neighbor from a vicious attack.
According to WBBH-TVThe incident occurred on the evening of Friday, April 19, when Rick Fingeret was walking his two dogs near a lake in Collier County.
His neighbor, Walter Rudder, told the outlet that “he was driving and we saw a man lying on the ground, waving his arm.”
“We stopped and I got out of the car and saw an alligator was holding him by the leg,” Rudder told the news station.
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Stock image of an alligator
According to WLBT, Fingeret “begged him to run over the crocodile, hoping it would release its jaws from his leg”. After that, the alligator returned to the water and Rudder was taken to the hospital, where he is now recovering.
The news outlet reported that Fingeret said he “doesn’t know what would have happened if his neighbor hadn’t intervened.”
On a Instagram post on Monday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) advised residents to observe local wildlife from a safe distance.
“Resist the temptation to test your racing skills against wildlife. Whether it’s a particularly intimidating crocodile, pig, or squirrel, remember: they’ve been training for this their entire lives. Not you,” said the organization.
Related: Tourist beaten after opening window to take selfie with bear
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Stock image of a wetland
According to the FWC, “In general, if an animal is reacting to your presence, it is a clear sign that you are too close.”
The organization explains that animals have “their own version of a comfort zone”, making “maintaining a respectful distance essential for their safety and the well-being of any other animals involved”.
With regard to crocodiles, the organization explains in its website that “crocodiles are opportunistic feeders”.
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The website adds that “Their diets include abundant and easily accessible prey species. Juvenile alligators eat primarily insects, amphibians, small fish, and other invertebrates. Adult alligators eat coarse fish, snakes, turtles, small mammals, and birds.”
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