LOXAHATCHEE, FL — The man bitten by a “large” alligator over the weekend was participating in a hog hunt at the time, according to Florida wildlife officials.
Carol Lyn Parrish of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission identified the victim as 46-year-old James G. Boyce. She said Boyce was bitten on his right leg.
The man was bitten around 10 a.m. Saturday at the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area in Loxahatchee, which is about 36 miles from West Palm Beach.
Related: Man Bitten By Large Alligator In Florida
The Martin County Sheriff’s Aviation Unit airlifted Boyce to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach after helping to spot him in a marshy area, according to the sheriff’s office.
Parrish told Patch serious injuries from alligator attacks in Florida are rare.
“Alligators are a conservation success story in Florida,” she said. “Florida has a healthy and stable alligator population, which is estimated at 1.3 million alligators of every size.”
Parrish said alligators can be found in all 67 counties of Florida.
“They prefer freshwater lakes and slow-moving rivers and their associated wetlands, but they also can be found in brackish water habitats,” Parrish said. “Anywhere there is standing water, an alligator might be found.”
The sheriff’s office released video of Boyce being airlifted to the hospital in Palm Beach County. Parrish described Boyce’s injuries as non life-threatening.
Watch the video below courtesy of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office:
The sheriff’s office said Boyce suffered a “substantial” leg injury from the approximately 10-foot gator, which officials described as “large.”
Parrish said people should keep a safe distance from alligators and avoid feeding them.
To report concerns about an alligator, call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286). The agency also provides advice about Living with Alligators.