An alligator kills a Florida woman after tipping over her canoe, investigators say

ST PETERSBURG Fla AP An alligator killed a Florida woman after tipping over a canoe she and her husband were paddling which investigators say appeared to be an accidental encounter The attack happened Tuesday afternoon near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee south of Orlando the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission revealed It s near the same location as a March alligator attack in which a woman was bitten on the elbow while kayaking Investigators mentioned at a news conference Wednesday that the couple was canoeing in about feet less than meter of water when they came upon a large alligator The startled animal thrashed suddenly tipping over the canoe and sending both people into the water It sounds like the canoe drifted over on top of the alligator The alligator was startled explained Roger Young the FWC executive director Observers advised investigators the husband tried to fight off the animal but was unsuccessful FWC authorities identified the victim as -year-old Cynthia Diekema of Davenport Florida It wasn t clear if her husband was injured A trapper captured an alligator measuring more than feet meters that is suspected of being the animal involved but investigators caught another large alligator that also could have been responsible agents explained Since when executives began tracking alligator bites involving people in Florida there have been unprovoked bites through according to FWC content Of those were major bites and were fatal The preponderance new fatal alligator attack was in February when -year-old Gloria Serge was killed while walking her dog along a group pond in Fort Pierce personnel stated Earlier that year a -year-old man lost his arm in an attack near a pond behind a bar in Port Charlotte Alligator encounters with humans are more common in the spring mating season when they are greater part functioning Young reported There are an estimated million alligators in Florida While alligator attacks resulting in fatalities are extremely rare this tragedy serves as a somber reminder of the powerful wildlife that share our natural spaces Young explained Be cautious of your surroundings Know what wildlife is in the area The alligator attack comes as FWC leaders continue to investigate a rare fatal black bear attack Monday that took the life of -year-old Robert Markel and his dog near his home in Collier County in southwest Florida Wildlife officers have killed three bears in the area since the attack The FWC plans masses hearings on whether to hold a black bear hunt in parts of Florida later this year