Angler loses hand to golf course alligator

AN alligator has bitten off a man’s hand while he was fishing in a water hazard on a Florida golf course.

The victim was reeling in a fish from a large pond when the 9ft 3in predator struck in Leesburg, near Orlando.

A witness told media outlet Fox 35: “The gator got the guy in the hand and the two rolled.”

The alligator then appeared to chew off the angler’s hand before retreating back into the freshwater pond.

At least two people called emergency services for help, with one caller saying: “There is a gator attacking a man,” and that “some people now have stopped in their golf carts”, according to audio released by the services.

They added the alligator returned to the water after “rolling around” with the man.

“He’s got black hair, so he’s not a senior citizen like most of us,” they said, adding the victim was “moaning and groaning constantly” and walking around with blood visible.

Another caller, who correctly identified the alligator as male, reported: “He took his hand off. Hand is gone!”

A helicopter arrived minutes later and airlifted the victim to a hospital in Orlando where his condition is currently unknown.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the alligator was later trapped and removed from the pond.

Brandon Fisher, an expert from Gatorland Orlando, told News 6 that alligators in Florida start to become more active during mating season as the weather gets warmer.

He warned people to stay 25ft from the shoreline of freshwater lakes and ponds as alligators, which are widespread in the state, can jump from the water.