An alligator snapping turtle, whose jaw is strong enough to crack a bone, has been found in the Cumbria region of northern England, more than 6,000 kilometers from its natural habitat.
Alligator snapping turtles are commonly seen in the swamps of Florida and are notable for their shells reminiscent of the age of dinosaurs.
However, many residents of Urswick village have reported seeing a similar specimen.
A resident was eventually able to capture the animal and hand it over to a group of veterinarians called Wild Side Vets, Sky News reports.
The center employees were very surprised when they saw what animal it was.
“I didn’t expect it to be an alligator snapping turtle,” says Dr. Don Moule.
The latter suggests that the specimen would probably have been abandoned in the wild by its owner.
“We named him Fluffy,” continues Mr. Moule. He’s weirdly cute, so we gave him a cute name.”
Fluffy will be relocated to a wild habitat suitable for its development near the city of Cornwall by the organization.
On their Facebook page, Wild Side Vets invites the public not to abandon their reptile in the wild and to seek help from an organization if necessary.