Help with identification?

[scanker]

I photographed this in the lake at the local park. There were some terrapins nearby that I think have been released by owners who no longer want them and as I was phtographing those, this caught the corner of my eye. Any ideas?

 

[fred gordon]

Scanker,
Haven't got a clue other than it certainly doesn't look like a native species to me. The snout makes it look like an air breathing animal to me, some sort of amphibian? Seems to be an increasing problem that people fed up looking after exotic pets just release them irresponsibly into the wild in the UK.

 

[leon-b]

sorry no idea
have you done a google search

 

[Martyn]

I dunno what it is, but it's very ugly.

 

[torjusg]

Looks like the nose of some kind of turtle.

Torjus Gaaren

 

[Singeblister]

Its some kind of turtle for sure

 

[torjusg]

Perhaps this one:
http://aerg.canberra.edu.au/herps/fncchely.htm

Or this:
http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/Biology/Harbour/SPECIES/TURTLE/SNAP/SNAP.HTM

But it really seems like it may be a different one.

Torjus Gaaren

 

[Galemys]

Here´s another candidate
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/Softshell.jpg
If you google for images with the words 'turtle' and 'nose' yo will see a lot more possible suspects.
It is a shame thet the people who buy them can´t cope with the responsibility.

Tom

 

[JonathanD]

That is definately a soft shell turtle, obviously not a native species. Some one obviosly got tired of their pet and dumped it... gits. It will probably be OK until winter

 

[fred gordon]

Having looked at google images I would be happy to go with the one Galemy has come up with. It has the long narrow snout. Not a native so shame on the person who dumped it.

 

[bogflogger]

Contact the RSPCA and your Local Council's Parks and Enviromental Health Departments.

Whatever it is, it should not have been dumped in the Lake like that and needs to be relocated somewhere more appropriate.

When will people learn that Pets are not Disposable Rubbish!

 

[scanker]

Thanks Galemys (and everyone else) - that picture certainly looks the one.

 

[Ketchup]

Can you eat them?

 

[Galemys]

Can you eat them?

I guess you can. In the japanese movie `tampopo` (a movie about the search for the perfect `ramen`, a japanese noodle snack) a water turtle (not sure if it is a softshell) is being prepared as a delicacy.
A good movie, but the turtle bit is not for the fainthearted.

Tom

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

what the f.....

i shall keep a look out, incase there are some arund here!

 

[scanker]

Here's the response I've just received from the Council's Biodiversity team:

Hello Neil, and thank you for your message.

It's a great photo and it certainly does look like a soft-shelled turtle. There has been a terrapin problem in Roath Park Lake for many years, and I believe that in the 90's there were efforts to remove them, but evidently some are still there. The main ecological interest is the population of overwintering and breeding wildfowl and it may well be the case that terrapins do take some of the young of these birds. However the damage that the terrapins cause in this respect is very difficult to measure, so for the moment we are monitoring the situation. Humane removal of the terrapins is very difficult, beyond draining the lake, and there is also the problem of what to do with the terrapins when caught.

There are also animal welfare issues relating to abandonment of the terrapins and to the injuries they cause to wildfowl, but these would be dealt with by the RSPCA.

We're sorry that we are unable to give a more definitive answer on this, but we'd be happy to keep you informed if there are any changes in our policy.

Yours etc....

 

[jdlenton]

hmmmm dont really know what to say to that :bluThinki

nice response i can see their point but no action shame that

James

 

[beachlover]

Can someone help with this? It has leaves like a sycamore, but some of the leaves are turning a lovely yellow orange in places. What puzzled me is the seeds grouped in threes rather than twos. Is this just a normal variation as I can't find it in the tree guides I have. Is it a sycamore or another variety of the maple?

The seeds



The leaf



The tree

 

[heeby]

went to the shabby sealife center last week and seen one of these recognised it straight away as a soft shelled turtle
mark

 

[Big Steve]

Look in Tinternet under images of alligator snapping turtle.