A man was taken to a Southwest Florida hospital after he was bitten by an alligator in a park Monday afternoon.
NBC affiliate WBBH-TV reports the incident took place in South Fort Myers, where the 60-year-old man suffered serious injuries when he was bitten on the left arm and torso inside the Wa-Ke Hatchee Park.
The man was helped to a nearby access road, where EMS arrived and transported him to the hospital according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials.
FWC officials say the alligator escaped after the incident, which took place a mile away from a nearby middle school, and they are looking for the reptile.
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Officials added serious injuries are rare in Florida and anyone with concerns can call the FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR.
