Visitors to Nantwich Lake may have encountered a more unusual inhabitant in recent days.
For this little terrapin is now resident at the popular beauty spot among the ducks, swans and fish.
The creature was captured on camera by local resident Ryan Burnham during a recent visit.
“He seems very content with the ducks and has been there all week!” said Ryan, from Stapeley.
“I first saw him about four days ago while walking the dog, he was in the small lake near the little footbridge.
“He’s been there every day, he’s fine and will survive the winter in there. They can adapt and I’m sure he’s happier in there rather than a tank or small pond!”
Although it’s not clear where this one came from, the RSPCA say it was probably dumped there by a family no longer able to keep it as a pet.
An RSPCA spokeswoman said: “It is likely this one was dumped, or was born to a dumped terrapin, as they are not a native species.
“We don’t get many terrapins at all at RSPCA Stapeley, I’ve never known there to be one there.”
The RSPCA does not recommend terrapins as pets because of their “complex needs”. More advice is available here.
The Canal and River Trust in the UK said: “There are a few species of terrapins that are present in our waterways.
“The most common is the red-eared terrapin, which although originally native to Britain around 8,000 years ago has returned, transported from the USA as pets during the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles cartoon craze of the 1980s.
“Today, these pets have grown to the size of a dinner plate and developed enough strength to break free of their tanks.
“Their subsequent, and irresponsible, release into the wild has prompted fears for the health of local wildlife, as well as the terrapins themselves who are ill-equipped to survive in the damp British climate.”
(pic courtesy of Ryan Burnham)
There has been a terrapin in the Weaver for several years! Can become quite a threat to native wildlife, unfortunately.