A child was rushed to hospital after being bitten by an alligator while swimming in a restricted area of the Weeki Wachee Preserve in Hernando County, Florida, on Monday afternoon. The attack has renewed warnings from officials and wildlife experts about the dangers of swimming in unauthorised waterways, with an expert noting the incident occurred in a designated no-swimming zone. The child's injuries were not life-threatening, but the case highlights the risks posed by Florida's large alligator population and the importance of heeding posted restrictions.

The alligator involved was estimated to be between nine and 12 feet long, and the victim suffered puncture wounds to the arm and leg. The child and several companions were left stranded on a sandbar after the attack and had to be rescued by Hernando County Fire Rescue's airboat unit before being taken to Bayonet Point Hospital. A licensed wildlife trapper has since set traps for the animal, while the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission investigates the swimming violation; a local sanctuary owner explained that swimmers appear as "small prey" to alligators, whose eyes sit just above the waterline.