Evening Standard
25 May 2011
Hybrid turtles are taking hold of London's parks and ponds.
Experts studying 1,600 square kilometres of London and the home counties were shocked to find 10 species and several hybrids. They even found rare African turtles in a Camden park.
Despite culls, numbers are growing. Tom Langton of the London Natural History Society said: "We found a big increase in the sightings of terrapins, a type of turtle popular in the Eighties due to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cartoon series."
A government ban in 1997 has led to "lookalike" species being sold cheaply in pet shops. Mr Langton said he hoped all terrapins would be banned in the UK.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23953408-mutant-turtles-terrorising-london-ponds.do
Showing posts with label abandoned pets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label abandoned pets. Show all posts
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
The real Pink Panther: The kittens whose fur changed colour after being bathed in cement
Last updated at 5:35 PM on 18th May 2011
This adorable sight is one that could have easily been a tale of tragedy.
Four kittens were found abandoned in a concrete factory in Redruth, Cornwall, weak and malnourished.
But they are now being nursed back to health and are very much in the pink - in more ways than one.
Staff at the Cats Protection charity were given quite a shock when they tried to wash the four-week-old cats and they couldn't remove the reddish hue from one, earning it the nickname 'Pink Panther'.
She was rescued by workers along with her two sisters and a tom cat - called Clouseau, Dusty and Cerise. It is thought that they came into contact with red pigment used in concrete manufacturing which had caused their unusual appearance.
The dying is less obvious in three of the cats but Pink Panther has a creamy fur so she appears bright pink.
Attempts have been made to wash the dye out because different variations of red are seen as 'danger colours' to animals but they failed.
Instead, Cats Protection manager Claire Rowe says they will have to wait until the pink fur has grown out.
She said:'They are absolutely adorable, but Pink Panther is probably the pick of the bunch. It's amazing. Until we washed her we had no idea what her natural colour was.
'As we shampooed her, the pink has slowly started to fade, although it may be that the fur has to grow out before we see her full colour, which could take months.
'It appears as though she's actually a creamy beige, and she has been dyed by the red pigment used in the concrete.
'We think the kittens were abandoned by their mum but we're hopeful they will fully recover and be able to enjoy a bright, but preferably not pink, future.'
The kittens were rescued from Ladds Concrete Factory in Redruth after staff heard their faint meows. They were spotted cowering between a set of pallets and have been temporarily fostered until they are strong enough to be rehomed.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1388227/Pink-kitten-The-real-Pink-Panthers-fur-changed-colour-bathed-cement.html
(Submitted by Dawn Holloway)
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Alaska polar bears given 'critical habitat'
The US has designated a "critical habitat" for polar bears living on Alaska's disappearing sea ice.
The area - twice the size of the United Kingdom - has been set aside to help stave off the danger of extinction, the US Fish and Wildlife Service said.
The territory includes locations where oil and gas companies want to drill.
Environmentalists hope the designation will make it more difficult for companies to get permits to operate in the region.
"This critical habitat designation enables us to work with federal partners to ensure their actions within its boundaries do not harm polar bear populations," said Tom Strickland, assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks.
Any proposed economic activity in the area, which covers 187,000 sq miles (almost 500,000 sq km) must now be weighed against its impact on the polar bear population, Mr Strickland said in a statement.
Most of the designated habitat is sea ice and includes some of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, where the oil company Shell wants to drill.
Shell was due to start drilling in the Arctic earlier this year, until the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico brought the plans to a temporary halt. It is now aiming to start drilling in 2011.
Environmentalists welcomed the move.
"Now we need the Obama administration to actually make it mean something so we can write the bear's recovery plan - not its obituary," said Kassie Siegel from the Center for Biological Diversity.
Ms Siegel urged the US government to impose a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in bear habitat areas.
Environmentalists also want the polar bear to be listed as an endangered species. Currently the US interior department describes them as "threatened" or likely to become endangered because the sea ice on which they live and hunt is melting.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11836156
The area - twice the size of the United Kingdom - has been set aside to help stave off the danger of extinction, the US Fish and Wildlife Service said.
The territory includes locations where oil and gas companies want to drill.
Environmentalists hope the designation will make it more difficult for companies to get permits to operate in the region.
"This critical habitat designation enables us to work with federal partners to ensure their actions within its boundaries do not harm polar bear populations," said Tom Strickland, assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks.
Any proposed economic activity in the area, which covers 187,000 sq miles (almost 500,000 sq km) must now be weighed against its impact on the polar bear population, Mr Strickland said in a statement.
Most of the designated habitat is sea ice and includes some of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, where the oil company Shell wants to drill.
Shell was due to start drilling in the Arctic earlier this year, until the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico brought the plans to a temporary halt. It is now aiming to start drilling in 2011.
Environmentalists welcomed the move.
"Now we need the Obama administration to actually make it mean something so we can write the bear's recovery plan - not its obituary," said Kassie Siegel from the Center for Biological Diversity.
Ms Siegel urged the US government to impose a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in bear habitat areas.
Environmentalists also want the polar bear to be listed as an endangered species. Currently the US interior department describes them as "threatened" or likely to become endangered because the sea ice on which they live and hunt is melting.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11836156
Alaska polar bears given 'critical habitat'
The US has designated a "critical habitat" for polar bears living on Alaska's disappearing sea ice.
The area - twice the size of the United Kingdom - has been set aside to help stave off the danger of extinction, the US Fish and Wildlife Service said.
The territory includes locations where oil and gas companies want to drill.
Environmentalists hope the designation will make it more difficult for companies to get permits to operate in the region.
"This critical habitat designation enables us to work with federal partners to ensure their actions within its boundaries do not harm polar bear populations," said Tom Strickland, assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks.
Any proposed economic activity in the area, which covers 187,000 sq miles (almost 500,000 sq km) must now be weighed against its impact on the polar bear population, Mr Strickland said in a statement.
Most of the designated habitat is sea ice and includes some of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, where the oil company Shell wants to drill.
Shell was due to start drilling in the Arctic earlier this year, until the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico brought the plans to a temporary halt. It is now aiming to start drilling in 2011.
Environmentalists welcomed the move.
"Now we need the Obama administration to actually make it mean something so we can write the bear's recovery plan - not its obituary," said Kassie Siegel from the Center for Biological Diversity.
Ms Siegel urged the US government to impose a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in bear habitat areas.
Environmentalists also want the polar bear to be listed as an endangered species. Currently the US interior department describes them as "threatened" or likely to become endangered because the sea ice on which they live and hunt is melting.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11836156
The area - twice the size of the United Kingdom - has been set aside to help stave off the danger of extinction, the US Fish and Wildlife Service said.
The territory includes locations where oil and gas companies want to drill.
Environmentalists hope the designation will make it more difficult for companies to get permits to operate in the region.
"This critical habitat designation enables us to work with federal partners to ensure their actions within its boundaries do not harm polar bear populations," said Tom Strickland, assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks.
Any proposed economic activity in the area, which covers 187,000 sq miles (almost 500,000 sq km) must now be weighed against its impact on the polar bear population, Mr Strickland said in a statement.
Most of the designated habitat is sea ice and includes some of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, where the oil company Shell wants to drill.
Shell was due to start drilling in the Arctic earlier this year, until the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico brought the plans to a temporary halt. It is now aiming to start drilling in 2011.
Environmentalists welcomed the move.
"Now we need the Obama administration to actually make it mean something so we can write the bear's recovery plan - not its obituary," said Kassie Siegel from the Center for Biological Diversity.
Ms Siegel urged the US government to impose a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in bear habitat areas.
Environmentalists also want the polar bear to be listed as an endangered species. Currently the US interior department describes them as "threatened" or likely to become endangered because the sea ice on which they live and hunt is melting.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11836156
Monday, October 4, 2010
Scorpions and tarantulas found in Preston alleyway
1 October 2010
Two scorpions and 15 baby tarantulas have been found abandoned in an alleyway in Preston, Lancashire.
A member of the public spotted them on Saturday and took them to the police who alerted the RSPCA.
The RSPCA has released details about the discovery to try to trace their owners.
"They had obviously been kept by someone who knew about spiders because some of them are quite unusual," animal welfare officer John Littlewood said.
"We are hoping that the owner will come forward," he added.
"People should not abandon dangerous exotics like this.
"Anyone who found them - including a young child - could still have been bitten, even though the spiders are very young."
'Lucky still alive'
The scorpions - an Asian forest and an emperor - are one cm in length.
Among the tarantulas was a sunburst, which is one of the most aggressive tarantulas.
They are all being cared for at the Bugworld Experience in Liverpool.
Curator Jenny Dobson said: "Most that we've managed to identify are not commonly kept tarantulas and would be very difficult to look after.
"It's not the kind of thing that should be dumped in a back street".
She said all the creatures were lucky to be alive in the cold weather.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-11457332
(Submitted by Dawn Holloway)
Two scorpions and 15 baby tarantulas have been found abandoned in an alleyway in Preston, Lancashire.
A member of the public spotted them on Saturday and took them to the police who alerted the RSPCA.
The RSPCA has released details about the discovery to try to trace their owners.
"They had obviously been kept by someone who knew about spiders because some of them are quite unusual," animal welfare officer John Littlewood said.
"We are hoping that the owner will come forward," he added.
"People should not abandon dangerous exotics like this.
"Anyone who found them - including a young child - could still have been bitten, even though the spiders are very young."
'Lucky still alive'
The scorpions - an Asian forest and an emperor - are one cm in length.
Among the tarantulas was a sunburst, which is one of the most aggressive tarantulas.
They are all being cared for at the Bugworld Experience in Liverpool.
Curator Jenny Dobson said: "Most that we've managed to identify are not commonly kept tarantulas and would be very difficult to look after.
"It's not the kind of thing that should be dumped in a back street".
She said all the creatures were lucky to be alive in the cold weather.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-11457332
(Submitted by Dawn Holloway)
Scorpions and tarantulas found in Preston alleyway
1 October 2010
Two scorpions and 15 baby tarantulas have been found abandoned in an alleyway in Preston, Lancashire.
A member of the public spotted them on Saturday and took them to the police who alerted the RSPCA.
The RSPCA has released details about the discovery to try to trace their owners.
"They had obviously been kept by someone who knew about spiders because some of them are quite unusual," animal welfare officer John Littlewood said.
"We are hoping that the owner will come forward," he added.
"People should not abandon dangerous exotics like this.
"Anyone who found them - including a young child - could still have been bitten, even though the spiders are very young."
'Lucky still alive'
The scorpions - an Asian forest and an emperor - are one cm in length.
Among the tarantulas was a sunburst, which is one of the most aggressive tarantulas.
They are all being cared for at the Bugworld Experience in Liverpool.
Curator Jenny Dobson said: "Most that we've managed to identify are not commonly kept tarantulas and would be very difficult to look after.
"It's not the kind of thing that should be dumped in a back street".
She said all the creatures were lucky to be alive in the cold weather.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-11457332
(Submitted by Dawn Holloway)
Two scorpions and 15 baby tarantulas have been found abandoned in an alleyway in Preston, Lancashire.
A member of the public spotted them on Saturday and took them to the police who alerted the RSPCA.
The RSPCA has released details about the discovery to try to trace their owners.
"They had obviously been kept by someone who knew about spiders because some of them are quite unusual," animal welfare officer John Littlewood said.
"We are hoping that the owner will come forward," he added.
"People should not abandon dangerous exotics like this.
"Anyone who found them - including a young child - could still have been bitten, even though the spiders are very young."
'Lucky still alive'
The scorpions - an Asian forest and an emperor - are one cm in length.
Among the tarantulas was a sunburst, which is one of the most aggressive tarantulas.
They are all being cared for at the Bugworld Experience in Liverpool.
Curator Jenny Dobson said: "Most that we've managed to identify are not commonly kept tarantulas and would be very difficult to look after.
"It's not the kind of thing that should be dumped in a back street".
She said all the creatures were lucky to be alive in the cold weather.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-11457332
(Submitted by Dawn Holloway)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Kitten survives full machine wash cycle
A Burmese kitten has survived a full machine wash and spin cycle after apparently falling asleep in a pile of dirty linen.
Owner Liz Fear was unaware that 7-month-old Suki was in the front-loading machine until she went to remove the washed clothing last Friday night, the Herald Sun reports.
"I lifted her limp and lifeless body out and she was really cold and colourless and I held her in my arms," she said.
Explaining how the incident occurred, she added: "We just thought she was taking time out somewhere and - doing four loads of washing a day - I just closed the machine door after the kids had put their clothes in and didn't think any more about it."
Liz and her husband Tony rushed Suki to a Fitzroy vet and then to Kensington's Advanced Vet Care for specialist treatment, where she was diagnosed with swelling over the eyes, minor brain trauma, purple gums and membranes, fluid on the brain, water on the lungs, hypothermia and severe diarrhoea due to detergent ingestion.
Clinic owner Sam Snellin said: "It is testament to a cat's abilities to survive against the odds that Suki had probably not been initially expected to survive but pulled through the night.
"By midnight on Friday she was able to sit up, at 5am she was sniffing food and then the next morning, she was walking on her own feet, albeit a bit wobbly."
Suki is expected to make a full recovery and will continue to be monitored.
Earlier this year, 4-month-old Persian kitten Kimba also survived a wash cycle after sneaking into a machine unnoticed.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a278238/kitten-survives-full-machine-wash-cycle.html?rss
Owner Liz Fear was unaware that 7-month-old Suki was in the front-loading machine until she went to remove the washed clothing last Friday night, the Herald Sun reports.
"I lifted her limp and lifeless body out and she was really cold and colourless and I held her in my arms," she said.
Explaining how the incident occurred, she added: "We just thought she was taking time out somewhere and - doing four loads of washing a day - I just closed the machine door after the kids had put their clothes in and didn't think any more about it."
Liz and her husband Tony rushed Suki to a Fitzroy vet and then to Kensington's Advanced Vet Care for specialist treatment, where she was diagnosed with swelling over the eyes, minor brain trauma, purple gums and membranes, fluid on the brain, water on the lungs, hypothermia and severe diarrhoea due to detergent ingestion.
Clinic owner Sam Snellin said: "It is testament to a cat's abilities to survive against the odds that Suki had probably not been initially expected to survive but pulled through the night.
"By midnight on Friday she was able to sit up, at 5am she was sniffing food and then the next morning, she was walking on her own feet, albeit a bit wobbly."
Suki is expected to make a full recovery and will continue to be monitored.
Earlier this year, 4-month-old Persian kitten Kimba also survived a wash cycle after sneaking into a machine unnoticed.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a278238/kitten-survives-full-machine-wash-cycle.html?rss
Kitten survives full machine wash cycle
A Burmese kitten has survived a full machine wash and spin cycle after apparently falling asleep in a pile of dirty linen.
Owner Liz Fear was unaware that 7-month-old Suki was in the front-loading machine until she went to remove the washed clothing last Friday night, the Herald Sun reports.
"I lifted her limp and lifeless body out and she was really cold and colourless and I held her in my arms," she said.
Explaining how the incident occurred, she added: "We just thought she was taking time out somewhere and - doing four loads of washing a day - I just closed the machine door after the kids had put their clothes in and didn't think any more about it."
Liz and her husband Tony rushed Suki to a Fitzroy vet and then to Kensington's Advanced Vet Care for specialist treatment, where she was diagnosed with swelling over the eyes, minor brain trauma, purple gums and membranes, fluid on the brain, water on the lungs, hypothermia and severe diarrhoea due to detergent ingestion.
Clinic owner Sam Snellin said: "It is testament to a cat's abilities to survive against the odds that Suki had probably not been initially expected to survive but pulled through the night.
"By midnight on Friday she was able to sit up, at 5am she was sniffing food and then the next morning, she was walking on her own feet, albeit a bit wobbly."
Suki is expected to make a full recovery and will continue to be monitored.
Earlier this year, 4-month-old Persian kitten Kimba also survived a wash cycle after sneaking into a machine unnoticed.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a278238/kitten-survives-full-machine-wash-cycle.html?rss
Owner Liz Fear was unaware that 7-month-old Suki was in the front-loading machine until she went to remove the washed clothing last Friday night, the Herald Sun reports.
"I lifted her limp and lifeless body out and she was really cold and colourless and I held her in my arms," she said.
Explaining how the incident occurred, she added: "We just thought she was taking time out somewhere and - doing four loads of washing a day - I just closed the machine door after the kids had put their clothes in and didn't think any more about it."
Liz and her husband Tony rushed Suki to a Fitzroy vet and then to Kensington's Advanced Vet Care for specialist treatment, where she was diagnosed with swelling over the eyes, minor brain trauma, purple gums and membranes, fluid on the brain, water on the lungs, hypothermia and severe diarrhoea due to detergent ingestion.
Clinic owner Sam Snellin said: "It is testament to a cat's abilities to survive against the odds that Suki had probably not been initially expected to survive but pulled through the night.
"By midnight on Friday she was able to sit up, at 5am she was sniffing food and then the next morning, she was walking on her own feet, albeit a bit wobbly."
Suki is expected to make a full recovery and will continue to be monitored.
Earlier this year, 4-month-old Persian kitten Kimba also survived a wash cycle after sneaking into a machine unnoticed.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a278238/kitten-survives-full-machine-wash-cycle.html?rss
Friday, September 17, 2010
7ft snake found in New Forest
4:35pm Thursday 16th September 2010POLICE are trying to trace the owner of a 7ft snake that was found dumped in a Hampshire car park.
A shocked member of the public raised the alarm after discovering a Grey Rat Snake – similar to the one pictured left – at a New Forest beauty spot.
The exotic creature was rescued by the RSPCA, who say it would have died if it had remained out overnight.
Police are attempting to establish if the non-venomous snake was abandoned by its owner or dumped by thieves following a burglary.
It was found in the Crockford Clump car park beside the B3054 Lymington to Beaulieu road last Friday at 3.30pm.
The car park is some distance from the nearest homes, making it unlikely that the snake simply slithered there after escaping from its tank.
Grey Rat Snakes are usually found in southern parts of the US, where they are considered common and are not a protected species.
They defend themselves by raising their head as if they are about to strike.
However, experts say they are less likely to inflict a bite than many other snakes and any wounds rarely require more than a bandage.
Regarded as agile climbers, Grey Rat Snakes are equally at home on the ground and in the treetops. They feed on birds, rodents and lizards.
Anyone with information about the one found in the New Forest should contact PC Alison Tilbury at Hythe police station on 101.
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/8396462.7ft_snake_found_in_New_Forest/
(Submitted by Mark North)
7ft snake found in New Forest
4:35pm Thursday 16th September 2010POLICE are trying to trace the owner of a 7ft snake that was found dumped in a Hampshire car park.
A shocked member of the public raised the alarm after discovering a Grey Rat Snake – similar to the one pictured left – at a New Forest beauty spot.
The exotic creature was rescued by the RSPCA, who say it would have died if it had remained out overnight.
Police are attempting to establish if the non-venomous snake was abandoned by its owner or dumped by thieves following a burglary.
It was found in the Crockford Clump car park beside the B3054 Lymington to Beaulieu road last Friday at 3.30pm.
The car park is some distance from the nearest homes, making it unlikely that the snake simply slithered there after escaping from its tank.
Grey Rat Snakes are usually found in southern parts of the US, where they are considered common and are not a protected species.
They defend themselves by raising their head as if they are about to strike.
However, experts say they are less likely to inflict a bite than many other snakes and any wounds rarely require more than a bandage.
Regarded as agile climbers, Grey Rat Snakes are equally at home on the ground and in the treetops. They feed on birds, rodents and lizards.
Anyone with information about the one found in the New Forest should contact PC Alison Tilbury at Hythe police station on 101.
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/8396462.7ft_snake_found_in_New_Forest/
(Submitted by Mark North)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Dead dog receives TV licence bill
12 August 2010 16:30 GMT
A dead dog in Germany has received a TV licence bill.
Bini, a dachshund who died five years ago, was given the bill by GEZ licence authorities.
Bini's owner Jennifer Pyka, said: "All of my memories came rushing back. I cried and tore up the letter in a rage.
"At least the GEZ has since apologies and removed Bini from their databank. But I'm still totally angry that something like this can even happen."
It is not the first time such an occurrence had happened, Andreas Muller from the company's collection department said they had experienced similar problems in the past.
http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/191523-dog-bill/
A dead dog in Germany has received a TV licence bill.
Bini, a dachshund who died five years ago, was given the bill by GEZ licence authorities.
Bini's owner Jennifer Pyka, said: "All of my memories came rushing back. I cried and tore up the letter in a rage.
"At least the GEZ has since apologies and removed Bini from their databank. But I'm still totally angry that something like this can even happen."
It is not the first time such an occurrence had happened, Andreas Muller from the company's collection department said they had experienced similar problems in the past.
http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/191523-dog-bill/
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Alligator caught with bare hands by reptile wrangler
Tom Phillips
If you were planning on capturing a live alligator that was prowling around Ohio, you might want to use some specialised equipment, or at least some gloves. But one reptile wrangler wanted none of that fancy-schmancy stuff, capturing the animal with his bare hands.
The wrangler in question, Chris Law, was called in after the four-foor-long alligator was spotted lurking in a puddle outside a business in Columbus, Ohio.
Law was brought in by the police, and managed to recapture the animal by grabbing its tail with his bare hands.
He explained that he would normally have used specialist alligator-capturing equipment, but he didn't have it with it because he was just about to go on holiday.
It's not clear exactly where the alligator, not normally a native of Ohio, came from, but Law said people often buy alligators as pets, then dump them when they get too big.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/831667-alligator-caught-with-bare-hands-by-reptile-wrangler
If you were planning on capturing a live alligator that was prowling around Ohio, you might want to use some specialised equipment, or at least some gloves. But one reptile wrangler wanted none of that fancy-schmancy stuff, capturing the animal with his bare hands.
The wrangler in question, Chris Law, was called in after the four-foor-long alligator was spotted lurking in a puddle outside a business in Columbus, Ohio.
Law was brought in by the police, and managed to recapture the animal by grabbing its tail with his bare hands.
He explained that he would normally have used specialist alligator-capturing equipment, but he didn't have it with it because he was just about to go on holiday.
It's not clear exactly where the alligator, not normally a native of Ohio, came from, but Law said people often buy alligators as pets, then dump them when they get too big.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/831667-alligator-caught-with-bare-hands-by-reptile-wrangler
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Dog Slum Of Brazil
6th, June 2010TO the dog slum, or favela, of Caxias do Sul, Brazil, about 1,600 abandoned canines are chained to around 1,000 little dog houses. A farm? An art installation. A fat camp?
No, this is the dog slum run by So Ama, or Just Love, a dog charity.
Says Natasha Oselame, who runs the organisation’s PR:
“We started out with the naivety of wanting to change the world, and the project just kept getting bigger, so unfortunately this is all we have to offer them.”
Them being the dogs and around 200 cats. Of course, the PR is telling us this and showing the photos. So, give generously, if moved. You might argue that bed and baord is pretty high living for a dog.
Brazil’s North Korean community is not being offered special visiting rates – yet…
See photos at: http://www.anorak.co.uk/249784/strange-but-true/in-pictures-the-dog-slum-of-brazil.html
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Snapping Turtle found in Kent
Vet makes shock discovery in Kentish woodlandWednesday, May 26 2010
by Katie Alston
In the undergrowth by a pond in Kent woodland, lay a wrinkled and dangerous beast, with the power to slice through skin and bone with its powerful jaws...
It was a snapping turtle and it is thought the vicious creature, known to hiss and bite, could be responsible for the lack of birds on nearby waters for the past five or six years.
Native to America the tough turtle can live off a diet of ducks and ornamental fish, and became popular with exotic pet owners in the 1990s thanks to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The wild common snapping turtle was discovered on Monday evening when veterinary nurse Stacey Vangent was dropping off colleague Janis Harris to her house on a dirt track off the Western Link, in Oare, near Faversham.
The aggressive animal was sitting on the driveway and Mrs Vangent had to move quickly to capture the creature and put him in a dustbin.
She then took the 'large dinner plate' sized turtle back to the Taochim Vets in Shunters Close where she has worked for the past 10 years.It was placed into an enclosure until a more suitable home could be found for it, with a reptile specialist in Maidstone.
Mrs Vangent said: "The turtle is so dangerous it shouldn't have been in the wild in the first place.
"If a child had found it or even someone who doesn't know much about animals then they could quite easily have lost a finger. They have an incredibly nasty bite on them.
"I have never come across anything like this before and I have been a veterinary nurse for 17 years. It scared the life out of me.
"Snapping turtles get incredibly big and the most likely story is that someone couldn't look after it anymore and got rid of him without a second thought for the consequences.
"It has been quite stressful for the turtle and it has been hard to find someone to take it, as we didn't want him to fall into the wrong hands.
"We have been feeding it fish, and I just hope that he can find a home that knows what they are taking on."
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2010/may/27/snapping_turtle.aspx
(Submitted by Neil Arnold)
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
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