Alligator snapping turtle found in Cumbria

A ‘dinosaur like turtle’ that can break small children’s arms off has been found in a part of the UK.

The alligator snapping turtle usually lives in swamps and rivers in Florida but was discovered in Urswick Tarn, Cumbria.

Local councillor Denise Chamberlain retrieved it from the water by lifting it into an old shopping basket.

The carnivorous freshwater reptile features a series of spikes on its shell, is roughly 10-inches long and can bite with the force of thousands of pounds.

The animal has been taken to Wild Side Vets in Barrow and Denise said: ‘It’s a very dangerous invasive species.

‘They can snap arms and small children. It’s an item from the pet trade being dumped because an owner was unable to look after it.

‘It was starting to look quite sorry for itself. I rang various agencies who were unhelpful. Everyone thought it was a terrapin – it’s not.’

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Denise said the vets ‘got it on its feet’ and they were ‘brilliant and very helpful’.

The fact they have no natural predators makes them an invasive species and they have a negative impact on the local ecology.

As well as Flordia, they are also found in South and Central America, and have powerful jaws capable of breaking through bone.

They can weigh up to 14 stone and grow 31 inches in length, with the oldest ever living to 70 years.

They eat fish and mammals along with vegetation and mostly hunt at night.

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