How To Avoid Alligator Attacks During Gator Breeding Season
What could be cuter than a river full of baby alligators, each about the length of a sheet of loose-leaf paper, flashing their toothy grins in the South Carolina sunshine? They show up around the same time each year, in the early fall. Everyone with a modicum of wilderness survival skills knows not to touch baby animals in the wild, for fear of provoking their mothers’ protective anger. Alligator breeding season, in the late spring and early summer, is the most dangerous time of year as far as attacks on humans are concerned. The American alligator is one of the less aggressive crocodilian species, and alligator attacks on humans are rare. Despite this, alligators are more likely to attack during breeding season than in other times of the year. There are actions you can take to decrease your risk of an alligator attack, and there are also things that the owners of recreational facilities where alligators are present can do. If you have been injured by an alligator on private property, contact a Columbia premises liability lawyer.
Love Bites, Unless You Know How to Stay Safe
For most of the year, alligators are homebodies, staying close to their own territory, but during breeding season, they go on the move. Most reports of alligators crossing the interstate highway or strolling through suburban neighborhoods occur in April, May, and June. At any time of year, you are much more likely to encounter alligators in the water than on land. These are some things you can do to avoid close encounters with alligators and to avoid getting attacked when alligators are nearby:
- Paddle your canoe or kayak in a way that minimizes splashing.
- Only swim in designated swimming areas, and don’t swim alone.
- If you see an alligator from a distance, move away from it instead of getting closer.
- Only swim in broad daylight; alligators are most active at sunrise and sunset.
- Avoid feeding ducks in areas inhabited by alligators; the alligators might decide to crash the party.
Who Is Legally Responsible for Alligator Attacks?
You can’t sue an alligator if it bites you, but in some cases, alligator attacks are the result of negligence by humans other than the one that got bitten. For example, many alligator attacks take place near waterfront restaurants; if the restaurant disposed of food waste in a way that attracted gators, then the restaurant could be liable for the attack. Likewise, if the attack took place at a golf course, it is the golf course’s responsibility to ensure that alligators, if they are present, cannot get near golfers. The legal doctrine that makes these lawsuits possible is called premises liability.
Let Us Help You Today
The premises liability lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you recover damages if you got injured in an animal attack at a place of recreation. Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.
Source:
cnn.com/travel/article/how-to-survive-alligator-attack/index.html
