Watch This Monster Turtle Invade a Man’s Pond and Gobble Up His Fish

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Wildlife YouTube content creator Zak Catchem noticed a strange thing happening in his outdoor koi pond one day. The fish were skittish, and one of his goldfish had gone missing. When he peeked in to investigate, a big predator’s eyes were staring back up at him. Zak posted a video to his channel, CATCH EM ALL FISHING, showing how he caught a softshell turtle in his koi pond and returned it safely back to its home. Check out the video above for some crazy action in the koi pond as Zak grabs a net and wrestles a softshell turtle back to its waterway.

What Kind of Turtle Is in the Video?

In his pond, Zak notices his fish are acting strange. That’s when he discovers a softshell turtle has taken up residence. The reptile seems to have come from a nearby stream just a few yards from his house, perhaps looking for an easy meal.

Zak lives in southern Florida, and it’s likely this is a Florida softshell turtle (Apalone ferox). Florida softshell turtles are large turtles with skin covering their shell. They are dark brown to olive green colored and have bumps behind their head. Their webbed feet and tubular nostrils help them be at home in the water. You can tell the males from the females by their tails, with the males having longer tails.

Where Do Softshell Turtles Live?

There are several species of softshell turtles that live in Florida. These are the Florida softshell turtle, smooth softshell, and the spiny softshell. Although we don’t have confirmation, we are taking a guess that the turtle in Zak’s pond is the Florida softshell.

The range of the Florida softshell covers all of Florida and extends up to southern Georgia and southeastern South Carolina. These freshwater reptiles are found in streams, ponds, marshes, and even drainage ditches. They prefer waterways with sandy or muddy bottoms where they can hide themselves underneath. In Zak’s pond, the turtle was trying to hide under the rocks.

What Do Softshell Turtles Eat? Is It Normal to Find One in an Outdoor Koi Pond?

Florida softshell turtles eat fish, small amphibians, insects, snails, and crustaceans. This softshell turtle had probably wandered to the pond from the nearby stream. Zak speculates it may be a nesting female that left the water looking for a spot to lay her eggs. Although the nesting season for turtles in Florida typically doesn’t start until March, climate change is moving spring earlier.

Once the turtle found the pond, it probably thought it had discovered a perfect home. The small pond was stocked with goldfish and koi, making it an easy source of food for the turtle. However, Zak wasn’t about to let this turtle eat all of his fish. He carefully rounded it up with a net and released it to the ground. After guiding it in the direction of the stream, the turtle took off quickly to get back into the safety of the water.

Softshell Turtles in Florida Are Affected by a Deadly Virus

Since 2021, an executive order in Florida has banned the transportation or taking of all Florida softshell turtles. The reason for the order is to attempt to limit the spread of a disease that has been affecting Florida turtles since 2018. Turtle fraservirus 1 is a virus that can sicken or kill turtles. Symptoms of TFV1 include lethargy, closed eyes, discharge from the eyes or nose, and difficulty swimming and breathing.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is asking the public to report sitings of sick or dead turtles using a public reporting tool. Fortunately, the turtle in the video above appeared to be in perfect health.

How Do Animal Experts Advise Relocating Softshell Turtles Back to the Wild?

While it’s illegal to transport softshell turtles in Florida, it is permitted to help them go a short distance. For example, you can help a turtle cross a road or guide it back to its waterway. However, wildlife experts recommend being cautious if you try to pick up a softshell turtle. You will notice in the video above that Zak caught the turtle with a net and only once quickly turned the animal around towards the waterway.

Softshell turtles have long necks and can reach around and bite someone holding them by the shell. Although they don’t have teeth, turtles have powerful jaws. They can get aggressive when threatened and won’t hesitate to deliver a nasty bite. In the above video, you can see Zak was careful not to handle the turtle more than he had to. Once he had the turtle aimed in the correct direction, it took off for the nearest waterway, submerged itself, and swam away.

The post Watch This Monster Turtle Invade a Man’s Pond and Gobble Up His Fish appeared first on A-Z Animals.