A dangerous common snapping turtle was discovered in the Sint-Kruis borough of Bruges (West Flanders) this morning. A walker noticed the animal in a nature area and alerted the SOS Reptile animal shelter in Ichtegem (West Flanders). Volunteers immediately decided to come and collect the turtle.
Dangerous snapping turtle found in Bruges: 'It can easily bite off your finger'
Colin Clapson
Published:
"A passer-by noticed the animal and immediately saw that it was not your average tortoise," explains Mario Goes of SOS Reptile. "This person also immediately emailed a photo. We could immediately see that it was a dangerous specimen."
Volunteers from the shelter headed to Sint-Kruis straight away to collect the animal. A snapping turtle is a very dangerous animal. "A turtle like that can easily bite off your finger. Even a dog's paw can be badly injured. People often think it's just a turtle, but believe me: this is a dangerous species."
Banned as a pet
The turtle is now being cared for at the shelter in Ichtegem. "We will first check to see if the turtle is healthy. After that, the animal will be given a permanent place somewhere. Snapping turtles are very dangerous and should not be kept as pets. This is why they are not eligible for our adoption programme."
SOS Reptile currently houses 15 snapping turtles. "But there are more snapping turtles in Flanders than you might think!" Mario says. "They are mainly found at the bottom of ponds, which makes it harder to see them. Other turtles stand out more because they are more willing to swim."