Florida man loses his arm in alligator attack

Two months ago, Eric Merda was attacked by an alligator while out for a long swim in a lake south of Tampa, Florida.

He’d gotten lost gotten lost in the woods at the Lake Manatee Fish Camp and had decided to try and swim back to his vehicle when he was attacked. He lost his arm to the alligator but made it to shore, only to spend the next few days trying to survive in the wilderness.

Wildlife officials said an investigation is still ongoing but that two “nuisance” alligators have been removed from the lake.