A 68-year-old man was rushed to the hospital after a crocodile attack in Everglades National Park in Florida.
The National Park Service says it happened at about 4:45 p.m. on Sunday. The man was in a sailboat that capsized in the Flamingo Maria basin. He was attempting to swim to shore when witnesses watched him going underwater.
Park rangers in the area responded immediately to treat the man for a laceration on his leg. Miami Dade Fire and Rescue airlifted him to the hospital in stable condition.
The man, who was not identified, was still hospitalized on Monday, according to WSVN-TV.
Rangers and park biologists are continuing to investigate the incident and monitor for the suspected crocodile.
The American crocodile is a federally threatened species that closely resembles the American alligator.
The National Park Service is coordinating closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to evaluate the situation and follow the American Crocodile-Human Interaction Response Plan which calls for relocation of crocodiles after human contact.
Park officials say that while the park is a safe place to visit, visitors need to stay alert and exercise caution, especially around wildlife.
Swimming or wading is prohibited in all canals, ponds, freshwater lakes, marked channels and boat basins in Everglades National Park.
The American crocodile's current habitat is along coastal Florida from Central Florida down to the Keys. Most human interaction with crocodiles occurs in southeastern Florida, according to state officials.
