Welcoming just over a million visitors in an average year, Everglades National Park is a frequent stop for many Florida vacationers as an alternative to theme parks or beach hopping.
The 1.5 million acres making up the park stretch across much of southern Florida. The flooded grasslands basin is home to numerous animal species not found in other parts of the country. These include the American alligator and, in parts of the Everglades River, sharks.
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National park visitor bitten by a shark gets airlifted to hospital
The latter is what caused a Florida resident visiting the park to be injured to the point of needing airlifting and hospitalization. According to a report from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials, rescue workers responded to an incident of a shark bite off the Flamingo Lodge Highway at approximately 3 p.m. on April 12.
While the report does not reveal details into how the attack occurred or the victim’s injuries, the man was airlifted to the hospital and is currently recovering at the Jackson South Medical Center in stable condition.
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Local news outlet 7News captured footage of the man waving a hand bandaged all the way up to his arm after he landed and was being wheeled into the medical center. Witnesses who saw the rescue described him as being in good spirits.
Everglades National Park is home to alligator and shark species.
Image source: Shutterstock
While sharks are not numerous in Everglades, species like bull, lemon, and black tip can be found, most often in the estuaries created by the Everglades River.
‘Begin to associate humans with food and can become aggressive’
As the vast majority of animal-related injuries in Everglades have to do with alligators, it is unclear how the park visitor came close enough to the shark to get bitten.
“Feeding wildlife of any kind will eventually make the animal aggressive and is illegal,” the National Park Service (NPS) writes in its guidance on wildlife interactions. “Alligators and crocodiles that are fed by humans begin to associate humans with food and can become aggressive.”
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A separate warning advises visitors to steer clear of any murky water. Swimming is generally not permitted due to the presence of wildlife as well as water quality concerns impacted by runoff from nearby farms and urban areas. The NPS recommendation is to keep at least 10 feet away from the water’s edge.
Other injuries occurring at national parks in the last year include an 83-year-old woman who was gored when a bison snuck up behind her on a hike through Yellowstone’s Storm Point Trail and a 35-year-old man who was attacked by a bear at Montana’s Glacier National Park.
“If an animal is hissing, you are too close, even if it is more than 15 feet [away],” the NPS branch for the Everglades park writes further. “[…] Although they may look like a statue at times, they are alive and alert and can react lightning fast. Touching an alligator is never a good idea. Feeding or harassing an animal, including throwing objects at it, is a criminal offense that carries a fine.”
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