Biologists with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources got quite the surprise while checking a gopher tortoise hole in Tattnall County.

When one biologist bent down to check the hole, they saw an alligator smiling back, according to a Facebook post.

Biologists say that this is the third winter they have found a gator in a gopher tortoise hole in Tattnall County.

The Georgia DNR biologists believe the alligator remembers where to find the hole since it could not be following a scent trail from the previous year.

Biologists believe the gator backs into the hole since turning around in a tortoise tunnel could be difficult.

There are approximately 200,000 to 250,000 alligators in Georgia, according to the DNR.

Alligators typically live south of the fall line near the cities of Columbus, Macon and Augusta.

Any alligators found above the fall line were likely relocated there by humans.

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