The Charleston Air Force Base was on lock down this week, not for a training exercise, but to relocate the base’s 12-foot mascot of the reptilian kind.
In retention pond on the Charleston Air Force lies the joint base’s alligator, named ‘Charlie.’
“He’s a very large alligator, he’s a over mature bull alligator,” says Terrance Leraber, the resources manager for the base. Charlie has called the pond home on the base for over 50 years, but he had to be moved–temporarily.
“Charlie will stay here while his pond is being enlarged probably for a couple of months and then we will move him back to his original home place,” says Leraber.
The base is doing some construction work near Charlie’s pond and wanted to protect the workers and their mascot from any unfortunate accidents.
“This was a first time experience for everybody involved including Charlie,” said Leraber.
The move went as expected, leaving Charlie with a new place to call home. “Untied him, release him. He swam off and appears to be perfectly alright,” Leraber says.