Alligator Florida Everglades — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Thierry Eidenweil
The U.S. Forest Service said that officials had temporarily closed one of Central Florida’s most popular springs to paddlers due to a huge alligator that is acting aggressively.
About 300 miles north of Miami, in the Ocala National Forest, the Juniper Springs watercourse is affected by the shutdown.
“A giant alligator, between 13 and 14 feet in length, has “actively made contact with canoes and kayaks,” the agency stated on Monday in a Facebook post. Although officials stressed that there have been no recorded injuries, they advised the public to exercise caution and stay away from the area.
“The Forest Supervisor and the Ocala district ranger agreed to give this alligator his space for the time being in order to assist avoid human interaction and disturbance. The Forest Service said, “Thank you for protecting our wildlife.”
Juniper Springs, a historic site with hundreds of bubbling vents and rivers, a lush subtropical forest, and clear spring waters, is about thirty minutes from Ocala. The recreation area, which was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, welcomes thousands of tourists annually.
Florida alligator mating season
The Florida alligator mating season, which lasts from April to June and is followed by the summer nesting season, is probably connected to the alligator’s behavior, according to the Forest Service.
Alligators, both male and female, may become more defensive during these months, particularly along embankments where they nest and spawn.
Central Florida recently had a deadly alligator attack.
Less than two weeks have passed since a woman was killed in a different alligator attack on a lake in Central Florida while canoeing with her spouse.
Cynthia Diekema, 61, of Davenport, was killed on May 8 when a big alligator flipped their canoe over on Lake Kissimmee, close to Tiger Creek, according to the authorities.
Both passengers were thrown overboard when the alligator thrashed beneath their canoe in shallow water, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Despite her husband’s efforts to save her, Diekema was bitten and hauled under, according to FWC officials.
Two huge gators, including one that fit the description of the animal engaged in the attack, were later caught by nuisance alligator trappers close to the scene.
Florida’s history of alligator attacks
Although they are uncommon, fatal alligator attacks do occur in Florida.
The FWC reports that 487 unprovoked bites have occurred in the state since 1948, 27 of which have resulted in fatalities. Since alligators are at their most active and defensive during the spring and summer mating and nesting seasons, encounters are more likely to occur at these times.
The last fatal human-alligator contact prior to the May 2025 attack occurred in February 2023, when an 85-year-old woman was killed while walking her dog alongside a Fort Pierce community pond. An attack near a pond behind a Port Charlotte pub earlier that year resulted in the loss of a 23-year-old man’s arm.
State wildlife officials advise the public to be vigilant around freshwater and to observe safety precautions, such as avoiding feeding alligators, keeping a safe distance from them, leash pets around water, and swimming only in approved places during the day.
Access to the Juniper Springs boardwalk and hike is likewise limited.
The Juniper Springs Nature Trail and boardwalk, which connect the swimming area to Fern Hammock Springs, are also closed for public safety in addition to the paddling closure. According to the Forest Service’s website, the main Juniper Springs Recreation Area is still accessible for swimming, camping, and day usage.
When conditions are safe for reopening, updates will be shared, according to Forest Service officials and Naventure, the region’s recreation partner.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
