A woman who was attacked by a crocodile on Thursday at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, she was rescued by a neighbor who struck the animal with a shovel, authorities said.
The unidentified woman was walking her dog around 8 a.m. Thursday next to a pond at Hilton Head Plantation when she was attacked by the 8-foot alligator.
A neighbor saw the commotion and tried to help lift the woman out of the water, but realized that something was grabbing her. It was then that the neighbor realized that she saw a “crocodile attached to her lower leg (s),” according to a statement press.
A local woman was bitten by an 8 ft gator in HH Plantation
• HHI Fire Rescue responded to call at 8:19 am
• The woman was transported to Memorial Health in Sav
• She was walking her small dog around the lagoon
• The dog was not harmedhttps://t.co/lxKX6yU3BX pic.twitter.com/x5QWDLYHSl– Hilton Head Island (@TownofHHI) September 2, 2021
The woman was taken to a hospital in Savannah, Georgia, with severe leg injuries, WTOC reported. The dog was not injured, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
“This is an unfortunate incident,” said Joheida Fister, Deputy Chief of the Hilton Head Island Fire Department. “We advise residents to be aware of their surroundings, especially if they are walking with small pets near lagoons that are alligator habitats.”
Authorities say the crocodile will be euthanized. A necropsy will be done to see if the crocodile had been fed by people.
“When fed, alligators outgrow their natural caution and can begin to associate people with food,” said David Lucas, a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.