The alligator was "removed as a danger to the public" and "dispatched" by trappers, he said.

"Always be aware of your surroundings, always be safe. Local wildlife - respect it, keep your distance," Mason said. "It looks like it's docile, it looks like your Florida emblem, but it can be dangerous."

After attacking the man on shoreline, the alligator then dragged him into the water, the FWC said, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News.

The attack is the second alligator death in Florida this year, after a 31-year-old woman was killed in June while swimming with her friends near Orlando.

Alligators are a common site in many parts of Florida, particularly in and around lakes, rivers, and grassy areas.

Between 1948 and 2025, there were 32 fatal alligator attacks in the state, out of 500 total incidents, according to the FWC.

The BBC has reached out to the FWC for more information.