PALM BAY, Florida – A man’s arm was partially amputated when he was bitten by an alligator on Saturday, August 17, 2019, in Palm Bay, Florida.

The alligator bit the 30-year-old man in the Three Fork Marsh Conservation Area near the St. John’s River around 8:30 p.m.

The area is popular during Florida alligator hunting season from August 15 through November 1.

Palm Bay Fire Rescue transported the man to nearby Heritage High School on Malabar Road where he was airlifted to the trauma center at Holmes Regional Medical Center.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission is investigating the incident.

Florida men are overwhelmingly more likely to be bitten by an alligator than tourists or women, according to a study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management which found that 93.7% of alligator bite victims are Florida residents and 81.4% are male.

Since 1948, Florida has averaged about five unprovoked bites per year. During that period, a little more than 300 unprovoked bites to people have been documented in Florida, with 22 resulting in deaths.

The last time a person was killed by an alligator in Brevard County, Florida was in Palm Bay, Florida in 2015.