Probe launched as terrapins invade beauty spot lake
TERRAPINS the size of dinnerplates have been found living at Backwell Lake, nesting in with the swans.
Wildlife lovers spotted the reptiles at the beauty spot, sharing a nest built by one of the swans in a reed bed. The creatures are not native to the UK and it is believed they may be pets dumped at the lake. Terrapins can be an invasive species, posing a threat to native wildlife.
The terrapins were spotted by James Parsons, 67, from Nailsea, who said: “I was out walking around the lake when I spotted this terrapin lying in the sunshine on the swan’s nest on the reed bed.
“I was quite surprised. I reported it to Wessex Water rangers, who told me they believe there are a number living at the lake.”
Terrapins originate from north and south America. It is an offence under the Wildlife And Countryside Act 1981 to release any non-native species into the wild.
The lake is owned and managed by Wessex Water, which is now investigating the find.
Terrapins, which can live up to 30 years, normally feed on a diet of slugs, snails and fish.
Their arrival is sparking concerns for other wildlife at the beauty spot.
A spokesman for Wessex Water said: “We’ve had reports of terrapin sightings at Backwell Lane and will be investigating this as a matter of urgency.”
It is not the first time terrapins have been found in waterways in North Somerset. Many years ago, large numbers were spotted in a rhyne on the Bournville Estate in Weston-superMare.
It was thought at the time people had purchased the terrapins as a result of the hit Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film had dumped them after they had grown too large for their tanks.
An RSPCA spokesperson said: “Sadly, some of these reptiles were dumped when their owners discovered the 50p-sized baby animals grow to the size of a dinner plate and can be difficult to look after properly, due to their specialist dietary and accommodation needs.
“As a result of the number of unwanted terrapins that have been released into our waterways, the keeping, breeding and sale of pond terrapins or ‘sliders’, and subspecies, are now subject to strict controls due to the potential danger they pose, as non-native species, to the natural environment ... there are strict restrictions on the sale, breeding, keeping and transportation of these terrapins.
“Abandoning a reptile or releasing unwanted exotic pets into the wild is cruel and illegal.
“Most exotic animals kept as pets are unlikely to be able to survive in the wild in Britain and non-native species could pose a serious threat to our native wildlife.
“It is illegal to release, or to allow to escape, any species that are not normally native to the UK.”
For information about how to care for terrapins, and details of regulations, visit www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/other/terrapin