Tampa Alligator Chills Under Air Force Plane and Has Zero Interest in Moving
On April 22, an alligator snuck onto a tarmac at the MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, and decided to have himself a little nap next to the wheels of an airplane.
The base called for backup from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to assist the alligator in finding a better place for a little shut eye, but the alligator wasn't too happy about moving.
The first Facebook post shared by the MacDilll Air Force Base shows the alligator chilling out like he owns the tarmac. Social media users had a lot of fun with these photos, and one person hilariously commented, "No one likes the new quality assurance officer. He tends to snap at people, but at least he has a thick skin." Another added, "I see security measures have increased on base." Another user said, "Never one to be out done, in response to enemy use of beluga wales to perform marine warfare, the US Airforce has begun training Alligators to deflate enemy aircraft tires. Test results are pending”.
Related: Driver Reacts to Massive Alligator Coming at His Truck in Wild Video
The base updated people with another wild post that shows the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission removing the alligator.
The way that alligator thrashes you can tell he has zero interest in leaving! The base posted an update with "The gator is now in the Hillsborough River
THE ALLIGATOR HAS BEEN RELOCATED 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. Great captions below! Happy Earth Day!"
Amazing! Thank goodness no one was hurt and the alligator has been relocated to a more suitable napping spot.
Why Alligators Showing Up In Unusual Places Isn't That Unusual
It seems that more and more frequently we are seeing stories about alligators breaking into people's homes and hanging out in their kitchens or attacking people while walking their dogs, and yes, these things usually happen in Florida.
This could be due to environmental factors, like loss of wetlands and housing developments which means more gators show up in search of food and napping places. Food is another issue, because even though people know not to feed alligators, it still happens. The website for the Florida Fish Wildlife Conservation Commission states, "Never feed an alligator. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to dangerous circumstances for yourself and other people who could encounter the alligator in the future." And yes, it is illegal to feed alligators in Florida.
Another reason gator encounters may be more frequent lately? They may be looking for love. Alligator mating season lasts from April through June. During this time, male gators become more combative and have a wider range of travel. Throughout the mating season, they can roam over 1,000 acres of land and tend to become more aggressive.
Call the FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR(866-392-4286) if you believe an alligator poses a threat to people, pets or property and the FWC will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
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