{"id":30037,"date":"2025-08-29T04:04:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T04:04:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/30037\/"},"modified":"2025-08-29T04:04:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T04:04:13","slug":"invasive-dinosaur-like-snapping-turtle-found-beneath-seattle-area-dock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/30037\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Invasive’ dinosaur-like snapping turtle found beneath Seattle-area dock"},"content":{"rendered":"

An alligator snapping turtle \u2013 a freshwater species native to the southern United States \u2013 has been captured at a lakefront park in Kirkland, Washington.<\/p>\n

Kirkland Parks this week shared an image showing a lifeguard supervisor posing with the prehistoric-looking reptile at Juanita Beach Park on Lake Washington.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile they may look interesting, snapping turtles are invasive and can be aggressive,\u201d Kirkland Parks cautioned via Instagram<\/a>. \u201cTheir powerful jaws can cause serious injury, so if you see one, please keep your distance and alert a lifeguard or park staff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lifeguard<\/p>\n

Lifeguard supervisor Dani displays invasive reptile.<\/p>\n

Alligator snapping turtles<\/a>, whose range includes mostly southern waterways that feed into the Gulf of Mexico, are the largest freshwater turtles in the U.S. They can weigh as much as 200 pounds.<\/p>\n

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Their diet consists mainly of fish and other aquatic animals, but they also prey on small mammals.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unclear how the turtle shown in the photo ended up loose in Washington, but perhaps it had been somebody\u2019s pet.<\/p>\n

Kirkland Parks did not explain what became of the turtle, but the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was involved in its removal.<\/p>\n

Kirkland is a suburb east of Seattle, on the eastern shore of Lake Washington.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Dinosaur-like snapping turtle found beneath Seattle-area dock<\/a><\/p>\n