Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Alligator attacks in southwest Florida.

Brett E Harding1, Barbara C Wolf

  • 1Office of the District 21 Medical Examiner, Fort Myers, FL 33907, USA.

Journal of Forensic Sciences
|May 16, 2006
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

National Association of Medical Examiners Position Paper: Recommendations for the Documentation and Certification of Disaster-Related Deaths.

The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology·2023
Same author

Postmortem THC in decedents following legalization of recreational cannabis in Clark County, Nevada.

Journal of forensic sciences·2022
Same author

The Phenomenon of the Urban Mummy.

Journal of forensic sciences·2015
Same author

Fatalities due to indigenous and exotic species in Florida.

Journal of forensic sciences·2013
Same author

Multidisciplinary investigation of an unusual apparent homicide/suicide.

The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology·2011
Same author

Household furniture tip-over deaths of young children.

Journal of forensic sciences·2011

Fatal American alligator attacks on humans are rare but can result in death from exsanguination, sepsis, or drowning. This study details three distinct cases, highlighting varied pathophysiologies and distinguishing features of alligator bites.

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Pathology
  • Zoology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • American alligators inhabit freshwater ecosystems in Florida and surrounding southeastern states.
  • While frequent attacks on pets occur, human attacks are rare due to the alligator's innate fear of humans.
  • The pathological findings and pathophysiology of fatal human alligator attacks remain poorly characterized in scientific literature.

Observation:

  • This study reports three distinct cases of fatal American alligator attacks in southwest Florida.
  • Each case presented unique pathological findings and differing mechanisms of death.
  • The observed mechanisms included exsanguination from extremity amputation, overwhelming sepsis, and drowning.

Findings:

  • Alligator attacks on humans, though infrequent, can lead to fatalities.

Related Experiment Videos

  • The mechanisms of death in these cases varied significantly.
  • Key findings highlight exsanguination, sepsis, and drowning as distinct pathophysiological outcomes.

    • Implications:

    • These cases underscore the diverse pathophysiologies associated with fatal alligator attacks on humans.
    • Understanding these varied mechanisms is crucial for forensic analysis.
    • Distinguishing alligator bites from those of other aquatic predators is important for accurate victim identification and cause of death determination.