Man putting mulch down in backyard airlifted to hospital after being bitten by alligator

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC/Gray News) - A man in South Carolina had to be airlifted to the hospital after he was bitten by an alligator Wednesday morning.

According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the man was injured in the Sun City Subdivision in Beaufort County around 10 a.m.

The man was reportedly working in his yard when the gator bit him, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said.

Both South Carolina DNR officers, wildlife staff and local authorities responded to the incident.

The victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The victim’s wife said he was putting mulch down in their backyard and had his back to the nearby pond at the time of the alligator encounter.

She also told deputies she and her husband try to avoid doing things in the backyard when they see the alligator.

The wife said she heard her husband yell. She grabbed a tomato stake and began to poke the alligator in the eyes. She said she also hit it several times in the head to get it to let go of her husband.

She told deputies this eventually worked and she was able to get her husband into their home before calling 911.

Deputies remained at the scene with the Department of Natural Resources after the victim was taken to the hospital. They made sure to keep an eye on the alligator and keep it from injuring anyone else.

Officials said an 8.5-foot alligator was removed from the scene and euthanized because of its aggressive behavior.

Copyright 2025 WTOC via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.