Did you know that Florida’s first recorded fatal black bear attack happened right here in Collier County this year; making history. A fish falling from the sky ruined one Naples teacher’s lunch break in 2012; shark and alligator attacks (no surprise) and two tiger incidents (ok, a bit surprised when the news broke).
Here’s a few of the recorded incidents of when animals attack.
August 2025
A fisherman was bitten on the leg by a lemon shark while posing for a photo after catching it near Cayo Costa. The man, Shawn Meuse, was airlifted to Gulf Coast Medical Center for treatment.
A 62-year-old woman was hospitalized after a 7-foot alligator attacked her on the Bird Rookery Swamp Trail in Collier County. The incident occurred when the woman unintentionally made contact with the alligator while hiking a watery part of the trail, and the animal bit her arm and leg, dragging her into the woods before her friends intervened.
June 2025
A 9-year-old girl named Leah suffered a severe hand injury while snorkeling off Boca Grande. She was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital and underwent extensive surgery, though surgeons were able to put her hand back together.
May 2025
Robert Markel and his dog were killed in the small community of Jerome, 30 miles east of Naples…