Florida boat captain who lost his hand to an alligator is charged with illegally feeding the beast



Insult to injury: Wallace Weatherholt lost his hand to an alligator and was arrested for feeding the beast

A Florida airboat captain who has his hand bitten off by an alligator has now been charged with unlawful feeding of the reptile.

Wallace Weatherholt was jailed after officials decided to press criminal charges over last month's incident.

The 63-year-old lost his right hand after an alligator leaped out of the water and bit off the limb.

The alligator was tracked down and killed, but doctors were unable to reattach the hand.

Holidaymakers on the airboat told wildlife officials Weatherholt had been dangling a fish over the water to entice the alligator.

It is a criminal offence to feed alligators.

Weatherholt,who works at Captain Doug's Small Airport Tours in Everglades City, was with a party of six tourists when the attack occurred.

Despite losing his hand he was able to steer the airboat back to the base where he was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery.

Feeding gators is a second-degree misdemeanor in Florida.

Weatherholt was held in Collier County Jail on $1,000 bond but has since posted out.

Alligator expert David Weathers said when gators are fed, they lose their natural fear of humans and are more likely to attack.