Jerry
Mon February 24th,2003, 11:38 AM
By Associated Press
February 24, 2003, 1:01 PM EST
ENGLEWOOD, Fla. -- A 70-year-old woman was in fair condition Monday after an alligator ripped off part of her arm as she trimmed brush outside her condo, officials said.
The 8-foot 3-inch alligator latched on to Helena Couto's arm just below the elbow Sunday and tried to drag her into a nearby pond, said Gary Morse, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
She was saved by a resident who managed to pull her away, More said.
"A neighbor came to the rescue and had her by the legs," he said.
A deputy shot and killed the alligator.
Wildlife commission officials cut into the alligator and retrieved the arm, which was then flown to Tampa General Hospital where Couto was awaiting surgery to reattach it, Charlotte County spokesman Robert Carpenter said.
Hospital spokeswoman Ellen Fiss wouldn't say Monday whether the surgery was successful.
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And they still require a special permit to hunt these things. I believe they allowed them to re-populate just too much.
February 24, 2003, 1:01 PM EST
ENGLEWOOD, Fla. -- A 70-year-old woman was in fair condition Monday after an alligator ripped off part of her arm as she trimmed brush outside her condo, officials said.
The 8-foot 3-inch alligator latched on to Helena Couto's arm just below the elbow Sunday and tried to drag her into a nearby pond, said Gary Morse, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
She was saved by a resident who managed to pull her away, More said.
"A neighbor came to the rescue and had her by the legs," he said.
A deputy shot and killed the alligator.
Wildlife commission officials cut into the alligator and retrieved the arm, which was then flown to Tampa General Hospital where Couto was awaiting surgery to reattach it, Charlotte County spokesman Robert Carpenter said.
Hospital spokeswoman Ellen Fiss wouldn't say Monday whether the surgery was successful.
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And they still require a special permit to hunt these things. I believe they allowed them to re-populate just too much.