A more than 700-acre park in Central Florida reopened Friday, May 1, after state officials caught and removed an alligator that they believe attacked a cow that had escaped its enclosure.
The cow had to be euthanized because of the severity of its wounds. A calf that was with the cow was taken to the Lake County Animal Shelter. The attack occurred April 27.
There’s little information about the attack, but a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson said the alligator was 9-feet, 5-inches long. But Lake County posted on its Facebook page that the Pine Meadows Conservation Area northwest of Orlando was reopened as of 2 p.m., May 1.
“We are still urging residents to take precautions around our bodies of water as alligator mating season in Florida begins in April, followed by peak mating activity in May and June,” the post said.
Lake County Public Information Officer Lexi Farmer said the cow had escaped its enclosure prior to the attack and wasn’t supposed to be in the conservation area.
Pine Meadows touts hiking trails, including one that is dog-friendly, a boat dock, kayak launch area and the Trout Lake Nature Center.
The attack on the cow came several days ahead of another incident where a man was bitten on the leg by an alligator while retrieving his dog from the edge of a pond in Naples. Wink News reported that FWC learned of the bite on Sunday, May 3. A nuisance alligator contractor removed the 8-foot, 3-inch alligator from the area.
In May 2025, an alligator attacked and killed a woman who was canoeing with her husband near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee. The location, which is south of Orlando, was near a spot where a woman was bitten by an alligator in March of that year, also while kayaking.
Safety tips to remember during alligator mating season
The Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program uses trappers to remove alligators believed ot pose a threat to people, pets or property.
People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
Kimberly Miller is a journalist for the USA TODAY NETWORK FLORIDA. She covers weather, the environment and critters as the Embracing Florida reporter. If you have news tips, please send them to kmiller@pbpost.com. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at palmbeachpost.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida park reopens after alligator that attacked cow caught
Reporting by Kimberly Miller, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
