Woman recalls horrifying moment alligator severed her arm in extremely dangerous attack while canoeing
New details have emerged surrounding a shocking alligator attack in Polk County, Florida that left one woman with a nearly severed arm.
On March 3 this year, a group of 20 kayakers paddled the water of a canal enjoying a nice day out, according to a new report issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Christiane Salvador, 64, was one of those who was out that day alongside her husband Phillip.
But what was meant to be a peaceful trip along the canal suddenly changed after Salvador felt something 'bump against her [Salvador's] paddle' at a section of the canal known as Tiger Creek.
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Salvador's kayak was then flipped over, sending her flying into the water.
"There’s an alligator on my arm," the Florida woman is said to have screamed.
Witnesses stated they saw Salvador 'struggling to keep her head above water', with the report stating the woman's husband pulled her on top of the overturned kayak.
However, it detailed that Phillip couldn't get one of his spouse's arms out of the water due to the small matter of the alligator having 'Christiane’s elbow in its mouth'.
A third kayaker came to help the distressed couple, though the sea creature 'grabbed the front of his life vest and pulled him underwater'.
WSVN reports the man 'stuck [his] fingers deep into the gator’s eyes' to escape the reptile, before taking off his life vest and seeing the alligator head off with it in their mouth.
Thankfully, Salvador is now in the clear, but she is expected to have several reconstructive surgeries on her severed arm in the coming months.
She was initially treated for injuries to her upper right forearm, while she also sustained two puncture wounds just below her elbow from the attack.
Doctors were able to save Salvador's arm, and the hope is that future care will see Salvador regain the use of her hand in the future.
As for the alligator, it was later captured and killed by authorities, local media reports.
Reptile expert Kim Titterington told 7News Miami that the alligator may have been a female reptile protecting her hatching.
"If you walk out back, and you’re sitting in your lawn chair, and all of a sudden a parade of 20 people just walk through your backyard, you are going to feel like you need to defend your space," she said.
"When a female has her babies, they are very defensive, high protection, because they have to protect their babies from other male gators as well."
Callum Jones