SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) — A string of recent alligator attacks have sparked major concerns in Central Florida.
There have been three alligator attacks within seven days across Central Florida, and the latest encounter was deadly, claiming the life of a woman whose family said she loved being out on the water.
Family members remembered Brittany Clark for what they described as her fun-loving spirit.
The 31-year-old from Orlando died after she was attacked by an alligator while swimming in the river at Little Big Econ State Forest in Seminole County, Sunday afternoon.
Recently released 911 calls captured the heart-stopping moments after the attack.
“Somebody got bit by a gator,” said a 911 dispatcher.
“Bad, real bad, please hurry,” said a 911 caller.
“We tried to get rid of the gator. Get away from the gator,” said a 911 caller.
“OK, and how bad is the bite?” said a 911 dispatcher.
“Horrible,” said a 911 caller.
Authorities said Clark was with her boyfriend and a friend at the time of the fatal encounter.
“She was bitten on both of her arms. The boyfriend was the one that made the phone call; he was trying to get her from the alligator’s mouth,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson Chad Weber.
Hikers in the area were left in disbelief.
“I’ve seen really big gators in here. I’ve never heard of an attack, though,” said Leia Viera.
According to FWC, two alligators were captured in that area.
“One was 12 foot, the other was 13 foot,” said Weber.
Frank Robb has over three decades of experience dealing with Florida alligators.
“FWC has a lot of steps they’ll go through. They’ll look at bite patterns, look for DNA things of that nature,” he said.
Just a day earlier, at a fishing camp in Marion County, an alligator bit a boy on his hand while he was fishing with his father.
FWC said they captured and killed that nearly 9-foot-long reptile.
And on June 21, a snorkeler suffered an alligator bite in a river, around 100 miles north from Sunday’s deadly attack.
“You can find alligators in every – pretty much every body of water in Florida. It’s about being aware of your surroundings,” said Robb. “If you have an alligator that’s been fed, you’re dealing with one that’s not afraid of people anymore, will approach people, will not naturally be afraid and move away, and that’s when the risk goes up.”
According to wildlife officials, Florida is home to over a million alligators, but attacks on people are uncommon.
The state reported 13 alligator attacks back in 2025. Two of them were fatal.
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