A man was bitten by an alligator after mistaking a 7ft-long reptile for a 'dog with a long leash'.
The unnamed man, from Florida, was near a hotel in the early hours of Thursday morning when he was out walking the garden of Warm Mineral Springs Motel in Sarasota County.
He approached what he thought was a dog on a lead in the bushes but was given the surprise of his life when it turned out to be an alligator.
Sarasota county sheriff’s spokesman Douglas Johnson said in statement the 49-year-old man “noticed a dark figure moving along the bushes” and believed it was a “dog with a long leash”.
However, the man quickly realised the object he saw in the bushes wasn't a dog when the creature bit him on the leg.
Remarkably, he only escaped with minor inquires as the alligator took a large bite of his muscle and tore some of the tissue off his leg.
In a statement reported by NBC News, Mr Johnson added: “He attempted to get away at that point and felt the alligator rip a chunk of his muscle/tissue off."
The man was rushed to hospital where he was treated for his wounds and the 7ft-long reptile was captured and taken to a local farm, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The 49-year-old was released from hospital after being treated for his non-life threatening injuries.
The police added: “The victim has been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery."
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the state of Florida has over 1.3million alligators as the rise in unprovoked attacks has risen according to the FWC.
