Homestead - Tuesday March 12, 2024: A 68-year-old man was bitten by a crocodile Sunday afternoon at the Flamingo Marina in Everglades National Park.
The American crocodile is a federally threatened species which closely resembles the American alligator.
The man capsized his recreational sailboat in the marina basin, according news release from the National Park Service. He was attempting to swim to shore with his boat when he was seen going under water, apparently dragged under by a crocodile that bit him in the leg. He eventually made it ashore.
National Park Service rangers were called to the Marina about 4:30 p.m. and treated the man for a laceration on his leg. They coordinated with Miami Dade Fire and Rescue to transport the man to the hospital where he was reported to be in stable condition of Sunday afternoon.
Park rangers and biologists are investigating. They have identified the crocodile involved and they are monitoring it.
Visitors to Everglades National Park are reminded that swimming or wading is prohibited in all canals, ponds, freshwater lakes, marked channels and boat basins in Everglades National Park.
A federally threatened species crocodiles are less common than alligators in Florida, although their habitats do overlap.
Alligators are darker, have broader snouts and are typically found in freshwater, while crocodiles have narrower, more triangular heads and often prefer coastal, brackish and salt water.