The reptile was jokingly dubbed “Airman Ally Gator” by the MacDill Air Force Base in Florida
MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill the alligator’s release
A giant, curious alligator visited a Florida Air Force base for the second time this season.
On May 15, the over 12-foot reptile was spotted near the 6th Medical Group hospital at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., a few weeks after the wild animal was caught blocking planes by lazing around the base’s tarmac and relocated.
MacDill shared a photo on Facebook from the alligator’s second visit. In the shot, the animal lies on a sidewalk near the medical facility.
The base, which nicknamed the visiting reptile “Airman Ally Gator,” joked in the post’s caption, “Airman Gator will be in charge of MacDill’s complaint department and is ready to book your appointment below.”
On a more serious note, the base included a safety reminder in the post, advising those on the base to steer clear of the alligator if they spot him.
Related: ‘Absolute Dinosaur’ of an Alligator Removed from Florida Path Frequented by Schoolchildren
“Alligators can sprint up to 20 mph for short distances. If you come across or near a body of water in the state of Florida, assume there is a gator near,” the post continued.
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MacDill shared an alligator update on May 16. The base confirmed that its “scaly friend” – who measured 12 feet and 3 inches in length – was relocated roughly three hours south of MacDill to the alligator farm Gatorama in Palmdale.
The base further shared that the alligator “has already made some friends in his new home” and was renamed “MacDill” in a nod to the base.
In a video included in the update, the alligator exits a caged vehicle into a swampy body of water as multiple people watch and record the exit on their phones. MacDill the gator then submerges himself in the water and starts swimming.
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In April, the alligator made his first newsworthy appearance when he was found napping underneath an airplane on the base’s tarmac.
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With help from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the reptile was relocated to “a more suitable environment off base” near Hillsborough River. However, that didn’t keep him from returning, hence his move to Gatorama.
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Source Agencies
