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Anonymous
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Who's been eating our fish ?
Fishermen fear that a ferocious reptile has been released into a South lakeland tarn, and it dining on ducklings and feastin on fish.
For several weeks, anglers have noticed that fish stocks in Lee tarn, south of Coniston, are much lower than normal, and newly harched ducklings have disappeared over night. Other tarns in the area have also been affected.
Experts believe that the culprit could be a Snapping Turtle, which can grow up to four feet in length and is particularly fond of fish and small animals.
When a small red eared terrapin was caught in the tarn this week, it appeared the mystery had been solved, but experts say that whatever is responsible is still out there.
Amazonia World of Reptiles managing director Sarah Baxter said " the red eared terrapin will only eat small frogs. Whatever is eating the fish and ducklings is something much bigger, and has yet to be caught."
Mrs Baxter believes the terrapin found its way into the tarn as an unwanted Christmas gift, and that whatever monster is lurking in South Lakelands depths may also have taken this route.
"From what I've heard, it is quite possible that someone has released a snapping turtle into one of the tarns. This is a dangerous anima and would explain the loss of fish stocks and ducklings."
Local angler, Eric Graham, 43 from near Barrow, caught one of the red eared terrapins on his rod and told the Gazette " alot of fish are missing and quite a few of these small terrapins have turned up at the same time, so we thought the problem could be them or maybe a giant pike.
To hear that there may be some unidentified big reptile out there is not exactly the news we wanted to hear "
From the Westmorland Gazette - 3rd of August 2001
Moggadon
Fishermen fear that a ferocious reptile has been released into a South lakeland tarn, and it dining on ducklings and feastin on fish.
For several weeks, anglers have noticed that fish stocks in Lee tarn, south of Coniston, are much lower than normal, and newly harched ducklings have disappeared over night. Other tarns in the area have also been affected.
Experts believe that the culprit could be a Snapping Turtle, which can grow up to four feet in length and is particularly fond of fish and small animals.
When a small red eared terrapin was caught in the tarn this week, it appeared the mystery had been solved, but experts say that whatever is responsible is still out there.
Amazonia World of Reptiles managing director Sarah Baxter said " the red eared terrapin will only eat small frogs. Whatever is eating the fish and ducklings is something much bigger, and has yet to be caught."
Mrs Baxter believes the terrapin found its way into the tarn as an unwanted Christmas gift, and that whatever monster is lurking in South Lakelands depths may also have taken this route.
"From what I've heard, it is quite possible that someone has released a snapping turtle into one of the tarns. This is a dangerous anima and would explain the loss of fish stocks and ducklings."
Local angler, Eric Graham, 43 from near Barrow, caught one of the red eared terrapins on his rod and told the Gazette " alot of fish are missing and quite a few of these small terrapins have turned up at the same time, so we thought the problem could be them or maybe a giant pike.
To hear that there may be some unidentified big reptile out there is not exactly the news we wanted to hear "
From the Westmorland Gazette - 3rd of August 2001
Moggadon