What You Should Know About The Disney Gator Attack
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
There has sadly been a lot of tragic events happening around Florida in the past few weeks including the alligator attack at Disney. It is scary for any parent to imagine losing their child or having them harmed by a wild animal. Unfortunately, this has become a reality for the parents of Lane Graves.What Is The Disney Gator Attack?
A 2 year old toddler by the name of Lane Graves had been pulled into a lagoon near a Walt Disney World hotel by an alligator after he had be wading along the lake’s edge. His father and mother, who were at the scene, attempted to save their child by jumping into the water and trying to pry open the mouth of the gator. Sadly, their attempts were too late as the alligator had already pulled the child far enough to drown him.
An Unusual Situation
While those who might not live in the area might believe alligator attacks are a common occurrence, they are actually incredibly rare. Most alligators prefer to flee areas where humans are located rather than attack even when they have been provoked. Not to mention a completely unprovoked attack like what happened to the small boy.
In Florida, between 1948-2016, there have been:
257 alligator attacks that required medical attention
23 people who have died as a result of those attacks
8 children (aged 16 and under) were among the 23 deaths
In fact, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has stated that the chances of being attacked and seriously injured by an alligator in Florida is 1 in 2.4 million.
Is ‘No Swimming’ Enough Of A Warning?
One of the biggest concerns involving this incident is the presence of ‘No Swimming’ signs all around the lake, but no signs warning about the possibility of alligators.
Many have argued that the death of the child was the fault of the parents’ for ignoring the clear ‘No Swimming’ signs that had been placed around the area. However, there was no one swimming in area. The family, which includes father, mother, and the boy’s sister, were all on the beach around 20 to 30 yards away from the water. The toddler was the only one in the water and was only wading on the edge.
That aside, a ‘No Swimming’ sign does not equal a warning for the possibility of alligators. The Walt Disney Park clearly knew that there were alligators living in the lagoon nearby, but neglected to provide a warning to their existence. Even with how unlikely an attack was, there needed to be a more precise caution to ensure that no one is caught unaware.
Not to mention that Walt Disney Park is a huge attraction for tourists and other non-Floridian residents to travel to. While most Floridians would be aware that alligators can be found in all kinds of bodies of water, non-residents would not have known that. The family of the boy, for example, are from Elkhorn, Nebraska and had come to Disney for their honeymoon. That does not mean that a resident of Florida deserves less signage or caution, but it does mean that Disney should have been more aware of the problems it could cause their visitors.
Over A Million Gators
With an increased number of alligators in Florida, it has become more important than ever to upgrade warning signs and cautionary methods to ensure the safety of Floridian residents and non-residents alike. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has stated that there are estimated to be around 1.3 million alligators in Florida currently.