A child was hospitalized in Florida after being attacked by an alligator while swimming in a restricted nature reserve. The incident occurred on September 7 at the Weeki Wachee Preserve in Spring Hill, according to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office. The victim, whose identity has not been released, suffered puncture wounds to the leg and arm from an alligator estimated to be between nine and 12 feet long. The child and several others became stranded on a sandbar after the attack and were unable to return to the mainland. They were eventually rescued by Hernando County Fire Rescue, whose Marine Unit used an airboat to reach them and provide medical attention. The child was later treated at Bayonet Point Hospital, with their injuries reported as non-life-threatening. A local wildlife trapper has since set traps for the alligator, and local authorities have reminded the public of the dangers of swimming in areas where it is prohibited. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) responded to the scene and is investigating the swimming violation, as noted in a statement from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office on Facebook. Officials urged people to "use extreme caution around waterways and follow all posted rules and restrictions." This incident is part of a recent string of alligator and crocodile attacks reported globally. Earlier this week, a wildlife park worker in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, died after being attacked by a crocodile at the city's Adventure Park. The handler was feeding the animal when it grabbed him by the legs, dragged him underwater, and performed a "death roll"—a common behavior in which crocodiles spin violently to submerge their prey. Despite efforts by another worker and a visitor to free him, the handler was only rescued after police shot the crocodile 11 times. He later died in the hospital from his injuries. Tragedy has also struck in Florida recently. In July, a 31-year-old woman named Brittany Clark was killed by a 13-foot alligator while hiking near Orlando. She had stopped with her group to swim in the Econlockhatchee River before the attack. The alligator grabbed her arm and dragged her into a death roll. Her boyfriend fought to pull her from the water, but she suffered catastrophic injuries and died en route to the hospital. In August, 58-year-old Dina Rae Spann lost her right arm after being attacked by an alligator while swimming with her family in Silver River. She tried to fend off the creature with a paddle before it dragged her underwater and bit into her arm. She was later treated for severe injuries. In the same month, triathlete Jonathan Burney narrowly escaped an alligator attack in South Carolina by pushing his thumb into the animal's eye to force it to release him. He suffered a four-to-five inch wound on his arm but refused an ambulance ride. Despite these recent incidents, alligator attacks on humans remain relatively rare, even in Florida, which is home to over 1.3 million alligators. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has recorded around 500 unprovoked bites since 1948, with only 32 of these being fatal as of 2026. While these attacks are uncommon, they underscore the importance of heeding warnings and respecting restrictions in natural areas to minimize the risk of such encounters.