In this image made from video, an 11-foot alligator that attacked a swimmer is pulled from the water after it was killed Monday evening, July 9, 2012 in the Caloosahatchee River near Moore Haven, Fla. Fish and wildlife Commission (FWC) workers, Glades County Sheriff's deputies and trappers found and killed the gator, which had attacked 17-year old Kaleb Langdale, taking his right arm. FWC, the Glades County Sheriff's Office and trappers found the gator and retrieved Langdale's arm from inside, but doctors were not able to reattach it. (AP Photo/WBBH TV)

MOORE HAVEN, Fla. - An alligator at least 10 feet (3 metres) long lunged at a teenager swimming in a river and bit off the teen's right arm below the elbow, state wildlife officials said Tuesday.

Kaleb Langdale, 17, survived the encounter Monday in the Caloosahatchee River. Wildlife officers who caught and killed the alligator retrieved the arm, but doctors were unable to reattach it.

"We found the alligator that was responsible," Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Jorge Pino said. "We were able to kill the alligator and dissect the alligator, remove the arm and transport the arm to the hospital to see if the doctors could reattach the limb."

The teen was rushed to a Fort Myers hospital. His condition was not available early Tuesday.

His friends told Fort Myers television station WBBH (http://bit.ly/NljdlO ) that while the arm could not be reattached, Langdale was in good spirits.

The alligator went straight for Langdale as he was swimming, Matt Baker said.

"It came at him and he put his arm in the way instead of letting it get to his body. It took his arm and him under," Baker said.

Another friend said Langdale popped out of the water shortly after being bitten.

"He was waving saying, 'Call the paramedics! My arm is gone!'" Gary Beck said.

Alligators are more active this time of year because it's their mating season, which makes them more aggressive and inquisitive as they're looking for food and for mates. Wildlife officers warn that alligators can call just about any body of water in Florida home.

It's rare for wild alligators to bite humans, though, Pino said.

Since 1948, 224 people have suffered major alligator bites, including 22 fatal bites, according to June 2011 conservation commission data.

Wildlife officials were investigating what caused the alligator to bite Langdale.

Last month, an airboat captain was giving a tour in southwest Florida when a 9-foot (3 metre) alligator bit off his left hand. The Indiana family on the boat said the captain had hung a fish over the side of the boat and had his hand at the water's surface when the alligator bit him.

News from © The Associated Press, 2012