Home / Environment / Car Door Bite Turtle Found in Welsh Woods
Car Door Bite Turtle Found in Welsh Woods
9 Jun
Summary
- An invasive snapping turtle was discovered in a Welsh stream.
- Its bite is compared to trapping a hand in a car door.
- The turtle poses a threat to native wildlife, especially water voles.
An invasive snapping turtle, characterized by a bite likened to trapping a hand in a car door, has been discovered in a stream within Penllegare Valley Woods, Swansea. This North American native poses a serious threat to local wildlife, having been found in a region where the endangered water vole, a mammal and a favorite prey of the species, is present.
Experts at the National Centre for Reptile Welfare emphasize the illegality and ecological damage caused by releasing non-native species. The snapping turtle's predatory nature, targeting fish, frogs, and mammals, makes it a significant concern for the delicate ecosystem.
The endangered water vole, once common across Wales, faces an escalated risk due to this predator. Snapping turtles primarily hunt by ambushing prey from underwater, posing a direct threat to the survival of species like the water vole.
Authorities urge the public not to attempt capturing these turtles due to their defensive biting capability, though bites are not expected to cause severe injury beyond significant pain. The center offers assistance for the removal of such invasive species.
