The University of Florida has published the results of a recent study reviewing cases of humans bitten by crocodiles. Below is a copy of the Lourdes Mederos report:
A groundbreaking study by Kentucky scientists shows that the main cause of crocodile bites, rather than attackers, is a meaningless cause.
Published in Journal Human – Wildlife Interactions, this study is the first to develop a ranking system that classifies human behavior just before a crocodile encounter. Researchers found that in 96% of recorded incidents, some form of human carelessness or risk-taking precedes the attack. The findings show how crocodile bites are not random. They are preventable.
Insights come at a time when crocodile activity is on the rise. The mating season, which takes place in Florida and the southeast from April to June, brings more frequent movements and territorial behavior among alligators, making human awareness and safe practices even more important.
“I wondered if Crocodilli people had an unfair reputation for attacks, as did Snakes,” said Mark Tessela, the study’s lead author and professor of biology at Centre University. “It was important to create a ranking system for dangerous human behavior, as it showed that the overwhelming majority of bites came from a certain level of human being involved in risky behavior where the crocodile lives.
To reach their conclusion, the team analyzed nearly three centuries of records of human-response interactions from 1734 to 2021 using a Crocbite database, now known as Crocattack.org. The team then strengthened that information with internet searches, literature reviews and communications with wildlife agencies. Each case was categorized by level of human behavioral risk: risk, low, moderate, or high.
Most bites occurred following moderate risk behavior, such as swimming and swimming in areas known to be known to live in crocodiles. The highest percentage of fatal bites occurred after high-risk behavior, such as intentionally entering the waters in which alligators were inhabited. In contrast, low-risk and risk-free behaviors, such as walking near water or being present on land, rarely resulted in attack.
“The takeaway lesson from this study is that humans know their surroundings and can minimize risky behaviors such as walking small pets near waters, and minimize risky behaviors such as swimming and swimming where crocodiles are known to exist.”
The most surprising finding was how high the proportion of people engaged in dangerous behaviors. This indicates that humans, not alligators, are impaired in the majority of cases where bites occur, Tessela said.
The results highlight that crocodiles do not seek conflict, but when humans provide what scientists call “attractive stimuli,” they respond by splashing, swimming, and entering alligator habitat.
In many cases, bites occurred without a clear warning, but people unconsciously suppressed or hunted the alligator’s natural response.
Researchers emphasize that humans enter large wild predator environments, such as hikers entering bear countries and swimmers in shark-inhabited waters, and should take up some degree of responsibility and attention.
“We hope to remind the public how important it is to maintain situational awareness in Crocodile Country by examining these risk categories and some of the activities that people were involved in just before they bite.
A better, more creative message educated on how to stay safe on Gator’s territory can also prevent injuries and save the lives of alligators.
“Perhaps when the person responsible for the bite is identified, it is removed by the authorities, euthanized and lost life due to dangerous human behavior,” Mazzotti said.
Researchers recommend wildlife managers adopt diverse and targeted communication strategies to promote safe behavior around crocodiles. They say that raising awareness can dramatically reduce the number of bites and the need to euthanize alligators after attack.
“Ultimately, this study highlights that situational awareness and informed choices can help protect both people and wildlife, particularly during recreational activities in Crocodile Country,” Mazzotti said.
