A massive alligator was spotted on the tarmac of MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, prompting wildlife law enforcement to remove it. Pictures and videos shared by MacDill Air Force Base on social media show the alligator appearing to be relaxing under the wheels of a tanker plane at the base.
The nearly 10-foot reptile was spotted Monday morning beside the landing gear of a KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft, officials at the base in Tampa said. Soon after, officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were summoned who captured the animal and released it into the nearby Hillsborough River.
A video shared online shows the gator thrashing around and trying to break loose as two officers try to capture it. The officers grab the reptile with two leashes and wrap them around the alligator's abdomen, but it wriggles and resists. After a bit of struggle, the animal was eventually successfully removed from the tarmac.
Watch the video here:
After the alligator was caught, MacDill Air Force Base said, ''Our newest toothy Airman has been relocated to a more suitable environment off base. Special thanks to FWC for the assist.'' According to FOX 13 in Tampa, Elvis is an even bigger gator known to inhabit the area regularly.
Notably, alligators are a common sight in Florida, US, where they inhabit wetlands, swamps, and lakes. Florida is home to a total of around 1.3 million alligators, as per the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's website.
According to wildlife officials, alligators become more likely to wander into unfamiliar territory in April as they search for mates.
American alligators are apex predators that feed on fish, reptiles, birds and small mammals. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, alligators occur from southeast Oklahoma and east Texas on the western side of their range to North Carolina and Florida in the east.
