Florida Man Diving For Megalodon Teeth Finds Himself Between Alligator Jaws

A 25-year-old man from Florida has been bitten by an alligator while looking for megalodon shark teeth in the Myakka River.

Jeffrey Heim, who was attacked by the alligator Sunday afternoon, told WFTS, "I thought I got hit by a propeller, it hit me so fast. It felt like a boat was going 50 mph."

Heim was searching for fossilized megalodon shark teeth when he found himself between the jaws of the gator, which he believes was a female that was at least 9 feet long.

The attack happened soon after he went into the water. The gator let him go afterward.

"You have to learn how to not act like prey, and we just looked at each other. I didn't flail around, because that would have triggered his prey instincts even more," Heim said as per NY Daily News.

He was able to get out of the water and call for help.

The alligator bit Heim's head and hand. He sustained a skull fracture, which required 34 staples.

"If it would have got me anywhere else, it could have been a different story. The chance of me walking away from that is why it is a miracle," WFLA quoted Heim as saying.

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, which is trying to find the gator, the mating season for the species takes place from May to June. They become aggressive and more active during this time.

Despite his injury, Heim said the gator was just "protecting her family" and environment. "That's what those animals are bred to do, and I learned that the hard way. I’m lucky it wasn't much worse," he explained.

Heim regularly dives for shark teeth and is an advocate for marine life. He hopes to turn his passion project dubbed "shrkco," where he documents his teeth collection, into a full-time profession. He does not plan on quitting diving or looking for shark teeth.

"I've never cried so much in my life," Heim said further. "And not from the pain, just from the realization of what I've gone through and how I was literally an inch away from death."

Gator and human conflicts are not uncommon around Florida. Last month, a man wrestled with an alligator to save his 8-month-old dog.