Locals in Cumbria, England were shocked to learn a spiky, dinosaur-like creature was found bathing in a small body of water near their homes.<\/p>\n
Named Fluffy by its rescuers, the hard-shelled animal \u2013 that\u2019s neither fluffy nor cuddly \u2013 is from across the pond and has a \u201cnasty bite\u201d that can sever a finger with one snap.<\/p>\n
Keep reading to learn why this prehistoric creature poses a huge threat to the little lake in Cumbria, England.<\/p>\n
Last week, a dog and his owner were strolling the shores of Urswick Tarns \u2013 a limestone-rich area known for an abundance of flora and fauna \u2013 when they came across a dinosaur-like creature, with spiky armor covering its back.<\/p>\n
Not knowing what it was, the person snapped a photo of the peculiar animal and shared it on Facebook, hoping to find some answers.<\/p>\n
The post captured the attention of Denise Chamberlain, an Urswick parish councillor, who previously worked in Florida and recognized the carnivorous creature that can give someone a \u201cnasty nip.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking with PA Media (through the Guardian) Chamberlain said, \u201cI looked at it and immediately thought, \u2018oh goodness, I know what you are.\u2019\u201d Identifying the animal as a juvenile alligator snapping turtle, she added, \u201cThese turtles have a natural defence mechanism: when you go near them, they open their mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chamberlain then went on a rescue mission to safely fish out the turtle, likely abandoned by an owner no longer wanting to care for the fierce creature whose powerful jaws can easily snap through bone<\/p>\n
The dinosaur-like turtles, typically found in swamps and rivers across the southern U.S. and in Central and South America, can grow up to 200 lbs and live more than 100 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese species are invasive, they\u2019re non-native and I knew it was going to upset the ecology of the tarn, which is very finely balanced,\u201d she said of the turtle, who has no natural predators and would clean the tarn of its wildlife. \u201cThat type of creature, while it\u2019s not going to breed, could do some real damage to the fish stocks and eat all sorts of local wildlife.\u201d<\/p>\n
The rescue
\nNever having handled this type of animal before, Chamberlain proceeded with extreme caution. Armed with safety gloves to protect her fingers and a shopping basket to carry him to a new home, she entered the murky waters.<\/p>\n
She said the angry-looking turtle \u201cjust sat in the shadows,\u201d his beak resting above the waterline. \u201cIt was lurking around the top so it could catch the rays of the sun but [the turtle] stays underwater and breathes.\u201d She added, \u201cIt looked like a prehistoric little dinosaur.\u201d<\/p>\n
Because the water and the turtle were cold, it was easy to capture, but not before warning her captor by opening her powerful jaws.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, because it was quite cold and the turtle itself was quite cold, it wasn\u2019t too difficult to manoeuvre into the shopping basket,\u201d Chamberlain adds.<\/p>\n
\u2018Please don\u2019t abandon\u2019 pets
\nFollowing a raw chicken feast, Chamberlain then took the turtle to Wild Side Vets in Barrow-in-Furness.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s certainly the first one we\u2019ve seen at the clinic \u2013 they are kept in the UK but they\u2019re certainly not a common thing you would see at the vets,\u201d said Dr Kate Hornby, the owner of the clinic and a veterinarian. \u201cIt would certainly give you a nasty nip and it could probably do significant damage to a finger or finger end, but at this size, it\u2019s not particularly dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wild Side Vets urges people to be more considerate when getting a pet.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe he had been abandoned at the tarn. If you are struggling to keep your reptile, please feel free to talk to us in confidence, no judgement and we will do our very best to help.\u201d The post, which also includes photos of the turtle who\u2019s believed to be about five or six years old, continues, \u201cPlease don\u2019t abandon or keep any reptile in suboptimal conditions. We can help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fluffy
\nSpeaking with PA Media, the vet says, \u201cWe haven\u2019t been able to identify whether it\u2019s male or female due to its size \u2013 but we\u2019re calling it Fluffy for now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chamberlain adds, \u201cI think the name Fluffy is very appropriate \u2013 it\u2019s a reference to the creature in Harry Potter. And as someone on Facebook said, it certainly looks like a creature Hagrid would love.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, locals are giving the turtle and his rescuers a lot of love on social media.<\/p>\n
\u201cFluffy, got to love that name for such [an] unusual creature but beautiful to see and so glad he\/she was brought to you to be taken care of,\u201d writes one netizen.<\/p>\n
A second shares, \u201cAhh bless him \u2013 so glad he turned up at the right place to find the right people to help him x.\u201d and a third adds, \u201cWow, what an awesome looking thing, I mean, I wouldn\u2019t want to cuddle him but still, he\u2019s amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
This week, the shelled creature will be relocated to a wildlife center in Cornwall, where he (or she) can live in more suitable conditions.<\/p>\n
We are also very happy \u201che turned up at the right place to find the right people.\u201d Please be very careful when you\u2019re getting a pet and do your due diligence, remembering they won\u2019t stay small forever.<\/p>\n
What do you think of Fluffy? Please share this story and let\u2019s see what others have to say about this incredible creature!<\/p>\n
Oklahoma boy sits alone to fish when he catches a fish that has him screaming<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"