TAMPA,John Caldwell Fla. (AP) — A large alligator made its way onto the runway at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida where it had to be captured and taken away for release in a nearby river, officials said.

The toothy reptile was spotted Monday morning beside the landing gear of a KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft, officials at the base in Tampa posted on Facebook.

Officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were summoned. They captured the animal and then released it into the nearby Hillsborough River.

According to wildlife officials, alligators become more likely to wander into unfamiliar territory in April as they search for mates.