Invasive alligator snapping turtle found in Cumbria

An invasive alligator turtle has been removed from a Cumbrian pond.

A dog walker found this exotic creature, native to swamps and rivers in the southern United States, in Urswick Tarn, near Ulverston, on Monday.

Parish Councilor Denise Chamberlain pulled him out of the water with a shopping basket and took him to the vet.

Dr Dominic Moule said the turtle, named Fluffy, takes a “nasty bite” and would probably have eaten the whole thing if it had not been rescued.

Chamberlain, who has lived in Florida, saw a social media post about the turtle and “immediately recognized” the species.

“I suspect someone bought it and didn’t realize what it was, it’s gotten too big to care for or they can’t afford to feed it,” he said.

While it is not illegal to own a snapping turtle, veterinarians do not recommend keeping them as a pet due to their complicated needs.

Chamberlain went to retrieve the turtle with the help of residents.

“I was anxious on two levels,” she said.

“You really caught it without losing a finger, but besides, what were you going to do with it?”

He carried three pairs of builder’s gloves and used a shopping basket to remove the turtle, where he transported it to a large container of lake water.

“Everyone came together to help,” he explained.

Dr Moule, a vet at Wild Side Vets in Barrow-in-Furness, described the discovery as “extremely surprising”.

“At this size it could give you a nasty bite, but when they grow up they can grow up to 80kg (12º) and can cause some damage,” he said.

He added that the reptile would be “more dangerous to the environment because it practically eats anything.”

“I’m sure if it was left there it would be invasive and would eat everything in the water,” Dr. Moule continued.

The turtle is being cared for by the veterinary center before being rehomed to a zoo or sent to a private caretaker.