The minor was rescued from a sandbar with other juveniles after being bitten while swimming in an area where swimming is prohibited.
SPRING HILL, Fla. — A child is recovering after being bitten by an alligator while swimming at Weeki Wachee Preserve on Labor Day, an encounter that left the minor with non-life-threatening wounds and prompted an airboat rescue, wildlife response and investigation into swimming in a prohibited area.
The attack happened Monday afternoon, Sept. 7, at the Hernando County preserve. Authorities estimated the alligator was between 9 and 12 feet long. The child’s name, age and sex have not been publicly released. Officials said the juvenile suffered puncture wounds to an arm and a leg before being taken to Bayonet Point Hospital for treatment. Several other juveniles who were with the child also needed help after becoming isolated on a sandbar.
Hernando County Fire Rescue responded with the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at about 2:30 p.m. Fire Rescue’s Special Operations Marine Unit used an airboat to reach the stranded group. Rescue personnel brought the juveniles back to safety while providing medical care to the injured child. Authorities said the other juveniles were rescued safely, and no additional injuries among the group were reported.
The sheriff’s office described the child’s injuries as not life-threatening. CBS News reported Wednesday that the child was recovering, but authorities have not released a more detailed medical update or said whether the juvenile remains hospitalized. Officials also have not provided a detailed account of what happened immediately before the bite, including how long the group had been swimming or exactly where in the preserve the encounter occurred.
A licensed Florida wildlife trapper was called to the preserve after the attack and placed traps in an effort to capture the alligator. Officials estimated the animal’s length at approximately 9 to 12 feet. As of Wednesday, authorities had not publicly confirmed that the alligator believed to be involved had been captured. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also responded to the scene and is handling an investigation related to the swimming violation.
Swimming is prohibited in the lakes at Weeki Wachee Preserve. The Southwest Florida Water Management District, which owns the conservation property, lists boating, canoeing and paddling, fishing, hiking, bicycling, hunting, birding and picnicking among activities available at the site, subject to its rules. The district specifically states that no swimming is allowed in any of the preserve’s lakes. The sheriff’s office reiterated the importance of following posted restrictions after the incident.
The preserve covers 11,206 acres in coastal Hernando County west of Weeki Wachee. Its landscape includes freshwater and saltwater marshes, hardwood swamps, pine-covered sandhills and portions of the Weeki Wachee and Mud rivers. Numerous lakes are located within the property. The district allows hand-launched boats, canoes and kayaks on designated lakes and permits fishing from areas where access is allowed, while maintaining separate restrictions intended to protect visitors and sensitive habitat.
Authorities have not said whether an adult was with the juveniles when the attack occurred, and they have not released the exact number of children who became stranded. No public account has explained how the group reached the sandbar or why they entered water where swimming is prohibited. Officials also have not disclosed whether any citations or other enforcement action resulted from the swimming investigation.
The child remained publicly described as recovering with non-life-threatening injuries as of Wednesday. The wildlife investigation remained active, and no reliable public update had confirmed that the alligator had been captured. The victim’s identity and exact age remained undisclosed.
Author note: Last updated September 9, 2026.