Video shows a crocodile approaching an alligator within Everglades National Park in Florida. The two animals hiss at each other as onlookers wait in suspense to see what happens. Warning: Graphic profanity not in English may be used as cautioned by the original licensee, Storyful.
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico – A young man died late last week after being pulled into the water by a crocodile near a resort in a popular beach destination.
Government officials said it happened at a beach adjacent to the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa Friday night.
Authorities described the incident as a “highly regrettable, unusual and isolated incident,” saying it required immediate and coordinated action by all three levels of government.
Local media outlets said a 28-year-old from Mexico City died in the attack, which happened near Marina Vallarta Beach. Officials said the man was pulled into the water by a crocodile before bystanders and emergency responders could reach him.
Puerto Vallarta is a paradise on the Pacific coast of Mexico, in the state of Jalisco. It is famous for its beaches, water sports and nightlife.
(Cinthia Aguilar)
The Government of Jalisco said the man’s body was found by members of the Mexican Navy on Saturday morning, and the crocodile was captured very close to the area where the incident happened.
Officials noted that the presence of the American crocodile in estuaries, canals and bodies of water along the coast is normal, and they’re part of the coastal ecosystem of Puerto Vallarta.
WATCH: MASSIVE CROCODILE CROSSES FLORIDA STREET BEFORE REACHING POPULAR MIAMI PARK
They said the crocodiles are being monitored, but with the rainy season starting in June, water levels are rising and moving, sometimes towards coastal areas and beaches.
American Crocodile Basking
(GriffinGillespie)
“Risky interactions with people are rare and are addressed through an inter-institutional technical strategy articulated in the Human-Crocodile Working Group, made up of the three levels of government, academia, civil society organizations and the tourism sector,” the government said in a press release translated from Spanish to English.
Government officials have since enforced surveillance on beaches, estuaries and areas of higher incidence.
SEE IT: CROCODILE AND ALLIGATOR FACE OFF IN FLORIDA EVERGLADES
Authorities are advising visitors to respect signage, follow instructions by Civil Protection, avoid entering the water in areas with crocodiles or near estuaries and canals, particularly at dawn, dusk and during the night.
The last time a crocodile encounter happened was in 2022 when two Colorado tourists were bitten while visiting Puerto Vallarta. In 2021, an 18-year-old U.S. tourist survived a crocodile attack near the same area after swimming near the Marriott resort, according to local media.
Researchers recommend keeping children and pets away from water in crocodile-infested areas and avoiding swimming in murky or risky waters.
FOX Weather has reached out to Marriott for a comment but has not yet heard back.
Anyone who sees a crocodile sighting is being asked to report it to the authorities.
