An alligator that recently wandered onto the runway at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, subjected wranglers to a workout as they tried to catch it.
It did not take long for officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to arrive at the scene where the alligator was spotted crawling on its belly next to an airplane, Fox 13 reported Monday.
Video footage shows the officers holding onto ropes that are wrapped around the alligator as the creature sits with its head pointing into the air. At one point, the alligator thrashes, throwing off a towel someone had draped over its face.
For a split second, one of the officers leans near the alligator’s jaws and loops the rope around its mouth. However, the rope falls off and the officer tries again, this time with success:
UPDATE: The gator is now in the Hillsborough RiverTHE ALLIGATOR HAS BEEN RELOCATEDOur newest toothy Airman has been relocated to a more suitable environment off base. Special thanks to FWC for the assist. They think Elvis pushed this guy away from home. Great captions below! Happy Earth Day! 🐊🌎
Posted by MacDill Air Force Base on Monday, April 22, 2024
“Our newest toothy Airman has been relocated to a more suitable environment off base. Special thanks to FWC for the assist. They think Elvis pushed this guy away from home,” the base wrote in the video’s caption.
Per the Fox article, Elvis is a bigger alligator who is known in the area. “According to the FWC, alligator courtship begins in early April and mating season takes place in May or June,” the outlet noted.
The base also shared photos of the alligator lying next to the wheels of a plane and asked social media users to come up with captions for the images:
Caption This!UPDATE: The gator is now in the Hillsborough River. Huge thanks to FWC.
Posted by MacDill Air Force Base on Monday, April 22, 2024
“The Chock-o-dile is a reptile often found under boat trailers, old cars, and occasionally flight lines…” one person wrote, while another user said, “MacDill Airforce Base would like to introduce the newly created Florida wheel chock.”
A few weeks ago, a homeowner in Venice, Florida, was shocked when she encountered an alligator in her kitchen, Breitbart News reported.
The alligator had broken through Mary Hollenback’s front door, sauntered down the hallway, and made itself at home in her kitchen.
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In recalling the moments she dialed 911, Hollenback said, “I tried to sound coherent, basically told him I have an alligator in my house. He was doing the paperwork and getting the paper. He said, ‘How long is the alligator?’ I said, ‘Eight feet.’”
