Predators are cleared from lake near retirement community after woman savaged to death by reptile
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A retirement community has wiped out its entire alligator population after an 85-year-old woman was stalked and killed by a massive beast in Florida.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission removed four of the reptiles from lakes in the private communities of Spanish Lakes Fairways after 85-year-old Gloria Serge was killed in a brutal attack.
She was mauled to death by the 10-foot alligator named Henry when she tried to rescue her beloved dog Trooper from the beast.
Henry was later captured and euthanized, with three other reptiles subsequently seized by wildlife officials from the series of interconnected lakes and disposed of.
A terrified neighbor struggled to try to save Gloria, calling 911 after witnessing the alligator eating her lunch after stalking her for 100 feet.
His dog, Trooper, survived the attack, and the reptile was captured and euthanized after his death.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission removed all reptiles from lakes in private Spanish Lakes Fairways communities after 85-year-old Gloria Serge was killed in a brutal attack.
Gloria Serge (pictured) was a grandmother living in the Spanish Lakes Fairways retirement community in Fort Pierce, Florida, when she was killed by an alligator Monday.
Judy Murray, a neighbor of Gloria’s, said TMZ who saw the authorities remove all the alligators from the community lakes.
But it’s unclear where the alligators were taken after their removal, with some footage of the beasts being videotaped and tied up before officials removed them.
There are five to six lakes in the community, and Judy says they aren’t usually afraid of alligators.
He added that Gloria could have had a “greater moment” when she chose to walk Trooper through the water, with the pup returning to live with her family.
Spanish Lakes Fairways HOA President Jay Mandelker said the alligators had been removed to try to calm the fears of nervous residents.
He said TCPalm: ‘They did this to allay any concerns and to make us aware of the precautions we need to take towards wildlife, alligators in particular.
“If you’re walking by a lake, a pond, anywhere in Florida, understand, this is Florida, there could be alligators, so don’t walk against the edges of any ponds or lakes, keep a safe distance.”
Gloria’s last moments were captured on a wildlife camera at the Spanish Lakes Fairways retirement community in Fort Pierce, Florida.
She can be seen walking across the lake with her dog as the alligator surfaces, then lunges at the couple.
The 85-year-old tried to pull the dog away from the alligator’s jaws, but the alligator grabbed her and she could be seen dragging her into the lake.
Her frightened neighbor Carole Thomas, 76, told Inside Edition that she tried to help the woman while on the phone with 911.
It is unclear where the alligators were taken after their removal, with some images of the beasts being recorded and tied up before officials removed them.
Gloria Serge, 85, was walking her dog by the lake in the Spanish Lakes Fairways community in Fort Pierce, Florida on Monday when an alligator attacked her and dragged her into the water.
Video released later shows Serge trying to pull her dog away from the alligator’s jaws, but the alligator grabbed her and could be seen dragging her into the lake.
Trooper, the trooper: Pictured is Grandma’s dog, who was being walked when the alligator attacked. survived
She said: ‘There is a woman in the lake. The alligator has it! I think she’s gone, oh my god.
Thomas said he reached for a pole to try to get the woman ashore, but said: “There’s no way I could have reached her sooner.”
She added: ‘It’s horrible for his family. It’s horrible, horrible. And her friends, yesterday I spoke to a couple of her friends who are devastated.
His body was later recovered from the lake.
Local residents told Inside Edition that the alligator was a neighborhood fixture they called Henry.
Florida authorities are warning residents not to walk their pets near the ponds of the area’s lakes.
Gloria is the third victim to be killed by an alligator in Florida since last July.
Wildlife experts found the alligator at the bottom of the pond and dragged it out of the water, and an officer was seen sitting on top of the reptile.
Officials later managed to drag the alligator (pictured), with its muzzle closed by a rope, through the grass and put it in a truck.
Her frightened neighbor, Carole Thomas, 76, told Inside Edition that she tried to help the woman while on the phone with 911. She handed the woman a pole, but it was too late.
Another elderly woman was killed by two alligators after falling into a pond near her home at Boca Royale Golf and Country Club in Englewood in July 2022.
The woman, whose identity is unknown, was struggling to stay afloat when two alligators were seen swimming towards her. They then grabbed her before she could get away from her and killed her.
In May 2022, the body of 47-year-old Sean Thomas McGuinness was found missing three limbs in the lake at John S Taylor Park in Largo, Florida.
Investigators now believe it had entered the 53-acre freshwater lake looking for UFOs when it was attacked. The park is home to an 18-hole disc golf course, with five holes adjacent to the lake, according to the Miami Herald.
Authorities noted that park management had reported that ‘McGuinness was known to frequent the park and enter the lake without regard for ‘No Swimming’ signs.
Officials later managed to drag the alligator, with its muzzle closed by a rope, through the grass and put it in a truck.
Following the attack on Gloria, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said, “Serious injuries from alligators are rare in Florida.”
‘The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a State Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to address complaints about specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.
“People concerned about an alligator should call the FWC’s toll-free nuisance alligator hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
“When someone concerned about an alligator calls the nuisance alligator hotline, we will send one of our contracted nuisance alligator hunters to resolve the situation.”