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Tarn Turtle Terror

A

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
 
In aggreeance

My sentiments exactly.......I can't really see a little red eared terrapin gulping down fish and ducklings. I'm not too sure about the tarns up in the lakes supporting large pike though, I mean they're pretty sparse bodies of water, and as for large reptiles such as the snappers........I thought they would be too cold to sustain what is essentialy a cold blooded creature.

Fishermen and their tall tales eh ????

Moggadon
 
I've seen a turtle eat a duckling. The turtle was about 9in in diameter, and it just pulled the duckling under while it was swimming along after its mother. It was a little horrific.
The turtle was what we (Texans) call a red-eared glider; who knows if that is the same species that was pulled out of that lake.
 
Long, boring harangue about Turtles

I don't want to misrepresent myself as a turtle expert, but here I go anyway:

I would hate to disagree with an expert such as the lady from the Amazonia World of Reptiles but snapping turtles are not inherently dangerous IF UNMOLESTED. Grab one suddenly, attack or threaten it and you may indeed lose some fingers - as would be richly deserved - I mean what kind of nut carries on that way with a turtle? But in the water, if given 1/2 a chance, they swim away. In fact, they actually only bite as a last resort (or if they mistake your toes for food). To start some South lakeland fisherman, who already "fear that a ferocious reptile has been released into a South lakeland tarn" on some torch bearing villagers-after-Frankenstein-like witch hunt is unjust. (Not kidding here: snappers can be caught humanely & semi-humanely through lines and traps). A true 4ft turtle eats an ung-dly amount of fish and should be easily caught by his/her own belly.

I know I'm having a problem in translation, but I find no turtle called a "Red eared Terrapin". One I AM very familar with is what we call the Red Eared slider (even as I write this I realize how "Beverly Hillbillies" that must sound to you). But that APPEARS to be its official name and is BY far the most common turtle sold in US pet stores. The bigger it gets the less meat it eats -- I doubt it could eat a duckling + you would see them basking - pretty unshy (almost Madonna-like) about doing it. Here is a nice link to a fact sheet on them.
http://www.sonic.net/~melissk/reslider.html
 
duckling

A) Thank you for introducing the word, "duckling," into fortean e-discourse. Did you know that the word appears nowhere else in these message boards? It's one of my favorites (I'm a writer -- essays, mostly -- and having favorite words goes with the territory).

b) What a horrid, sad day it is when something exists to ruin fishermen's days and spoil the love between mama duck and duckling through youngling-murder.:(


But, once again, thank you for "duckling," and I do hope the thing quits eating them. If it does, please (if you have the equipment, etc.), by all means, post pics of the happy yellowy babies! :cool:
 
haveing been invoved in many a' midnight ducking rescue (when i lived on a boat) i will confirm that the sad lot of duckings is to be neglected by its parent, murdered by its male parent, or freeze to death while its mother sits on a rock midstream. they realy realy dont need to be eaten by interlopeing turtles from below!
 
Snapping turtles and red-eared terrapins are both found in aquarium encyclpaedias. What's the odds on these being Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles craze pets that got too big and expensive to look after.
 
Forgive my ignorance, but are snappers native to the UK? If the animal in question is imported, it might be an alligator gar or record-sized large mouth bass, for all we know. Why someone would take one to the UK is beyond me, though.
 
No TorgosPizza, Snappers are not native to the UK & like you I can't understand why anyone would want to bring them in.

However....., in the UK, we seem to have a large number of people who want to keep exotics. Often they are the people who are most unsuited to look after such creatures in the first place e.g. iguanas in airing cupboards, venomous snakes in cardboard boxes in bedrooms etc.

Some times the creatures escape, or are released, hence (possibly) ABC's in the UK & once in a while a small python or corn snake found in the street. A few months ago, it was an ostrich, which got out of it's enclosure (owners back garden?) & went down to the local school to wait for the owners son!!!!
 
Maybe, just maybe...it's a 30ft Crocodile? If one can exist in a Maine lake, then why not Cumbria?

Sorry, just reminded me of Lake Placid - I saw it on video last night. It's rated '15' - I suspect that persons of a younger age couldn't tolerate the absurdly contrived dialogue, poor acting, or unintentional mirth this film generates.
 
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