Woman’s daring rescue of ‘Fluffy’ highlights invasive turtle encounter

A woman’s daring rescue of ‘Fluffy’, an invasive alligator snapping turtle, from a local lake in Cumbria, northwest United Kingdom, has garnered attention for the unusual encounter.

The alligator snapping turtle, reminiscent of a dinosaur, is native to Florida but found its way into the small English lake, as reported by The New York Post.

Denise Chamberlain, a Parish councilwoman, stumbled upon the surprising sight while walking her dog. Armed with a shopping basket and three pairs of layered gloves, she cautiously retrieved the creature, known for its menacing bite.

“I had two major concerns about the situation,” Chamberlain recalled. “One was actually catching it without losing a finger. But also, what was I going to do with it?”

Transporting the turtle in a large container filled with water from the lake, Chamberlain delivered it to a veterinary center. Despite its misleading nickname, the turtle was dubbed ‘Fluffy’ by the vet, underscoring the irony of its appearance.

Concerned about the origins of the reptile, Chamberlain speculated, “I suspect somebody has bought it and not realized what it is, it has got too big for them to look after or they cannot afford to feed it.”

With plans to relocate ‘Fluffy’ to a zoo or a private keeper, Chamberlain highlighted the complexities of caring for these carnivorous creatures, native to South and Central America. Alligator snapping turtles have spiky shells, primitive-looking faces, and a voracious appetite, capable of inflicting serious harm with their bite.

The National Wildlife Federation notes a decline in their populations due to habitat degradation and overharvesting for their meat. Some states have even implemented bans on collecting them from the wild. In Texas, the Parks and Wildlife Department previously offered rewards of up to $1,000 for reporting poaching of the threatened species, The Post reported.