KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Two alligators matching the description of the one that attacked a canoe Tuesday have been “recovered,” Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission agents said during a press conference.
The 10- and 11-foot gators were found by trappers near the attack site at the mouth of the Tiger Creek in Lake Kissimmee.
Testing will be done to see if either of them was responsible for the attack while trappers look for other gators nearby.
Agents said the two-person canoe containing a couple from Davenport drifted over the alligator Tuesday, likely startling it during the height of mating season, when gators are typically more active and more aggressive.
The gator thrashed, knocking the canoe over and putting both the husband and the wife in the water. Agents said the husband tried to save the wife from the reptile, but he was not successful.
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission later identified the woman who died as 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema.
“We always encourage the public to keep their distance from wildlife,” FWC Executive Director Roger Young said, adding that it’s uncommon for alligators to attack humans.
This is the second alligator attack at Lake Kissimmee this year.
A kayaker was airlifted in March as their group paddled down the waterway. A second member of the group had their life jacket ripped off.
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