Dogwalker shell shocked to find alligator snapping turtle in the United Kingdom
Oh, snap, guess what he saw?
A dog walker in Cumbria, United Kingdom, came across an interesting creature last week.
Denise Chamberlain, a parish councilor, saw a post on Facebook about the dinosaur-like creature called an alligator snapping turtle, which is native to Florida.
The creatures are found in swamps, where they eat fish.
According to the BBC, Chamberlain was nervous about the alligator snapping turtle, not just because she wasn't sure what to do with it, but also how would she catch it?
Named Fluffy, despite his looks, is now with a vet clinic, who is nursing it back to health. It's expected Fluffy will soon be sent to a zoo or a private keeper.
Experts assume someone bought the fish as a pet, and once it got too big, released it.
The creature, which has a bite that can break bones, can grow to be 200 pounds. Alligator snapping turtles are said to look like dinosaurs because they have spiky shells and primitive-looking faces.
The animals, which are found in Florida as well as South America, have three pointed ridges along their shells that run the length of their body. Also, these guys have eyes on the sides of their heads, unlike all other species of snapping turtles.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Fluffy, the alligator snapping turtle, rescued in United Kingdom
