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At only 10-years-old, Juliana Ossa knew more than most people about what it takes to survive a super intense situation, like what to do when attacked by an alligator.

Thankfully a trip to Gatorland, a theme park and wildlife preserve, in Orlando, Fla., taught Juliana the skills she needed on how to save her life. While she was swimming in less than 2 feet of water on May 6 she was suddenly bit in the knee and calf by the 9-foot-long animal. By putting her fingers in the nose of the alligator she stopped it from breathing and forced the alligator to open it's mouth and let go of her leg. Juliana was pulled from the water by her uncle after the alligator swam away and rushed to Nemours Children's Hospital. Luckily Juliana has no major injuries and was only required to get 10 stitches to her cuts. What a brave girl!

While alligator attacks *do* happen, the they're few and far between, and fatalities are extremely low. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission there have only been 24 fatalities in Florida from alligator attacks from 1948 to September 2016. However, since 1948 there have been a total of 388 injuries reported whether they were minor or major. The lesson? If you plan on visiting Florida soon, keep an eye out for the dangerous creature! 

Did you know how to stop an alligator from attacking you? How do you feel about what 10-year-old Juliana did? Let us know in the comments below! 

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by Cali Drouillard | 5/9/2017