'Prehistoric' large snapping turtle invades Bay Area lake

IN SANTA ROSA HAS GOT IT. WILDLIFE, GEESE, DUCKS, SQUIRRELS, AND SMALL TURTLES. THERE'S SOMETHING CAUSING A BUZZ IN THESE WATERS. >> A LOCH NESS MONSTER MAYBE. >> NOT EXACTLY, BUT CLOSE. >> THERE IS A SNAPPING TURTLE AT HOWARD PARK. RIGHT BY THE DOCKS. >> WHAT. >> CRAZY. >> CARLOS RUBIO WAS WITH HIS SON WHEN HE GOT VIDEO OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE A LARGE TURTLE IN THE WATER, THE SIZE OF A SPARE TIRE. >> AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A BOLDER MOVING IN THE WATER, I LOOKED CLOSELY AND REALIZED IT IS A PRETTY BIG SNAPPING TURTLE. >> TO GET REALLY LARGE. THEY ARE PREHISTORIC. >> WE SHOWED THE VIDEO TO THIS REPTILE EXPERT. SHE BELIEVES IT COULD BE A LARGE SNAPPING TURTLE OR EVEN ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE. >> THEY WILL EAT ANYTHING. IF YOU PUT YOUR FOOT IN FRONT OF IT, AND YOU DON'T SEE IT, IT WILL BITE YOU. >> WHATEVER IT IS, LOOKING AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS LAKE, IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. SNAPPING TURTLES ARE NON-NATIVE TO CALIFORNIA AND ILLEGAL TO POSSESS WITHOUT A PERMIT. >> IF THERE IS ONE HERE, IT PROBABLY WAS SOMEBODY'S PET THAT GOT LET GO. THEY'RE NOT INDIGENOUS TO THIS AREA. >> THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE BELIEVE THAT IS A LIKELY SCENARIO. THERE HAS BEEN 25 TO 30 REPORTED SIGHTINGS OF SNAPPING TURTLES IN CALIFORNIA, AND ONLY ONE IN SONOMA COUNTY. THE WORLD WAS INTRODUCED TO THIS ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE, SPOTTED ON THE CHICAGO RIVER. THE TURTLE IN THE LAKE IS MUCH SMALLER, BUT IT IS CREATING THE BIGGEST OR ABOUT WHAT LIES BENEATH. >> THERE ARE THINGS IN THEIR THAT WE PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ARE LIVING HERE. >> AFTER A LONG SEARCH, WE HAD NO LUCK FINDING THE REPTILE ON THIS VISIT. >> THE SEARCH CONTINUES.

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 57,381

Keywords: news, abc, abcnews, newsstory, snapping turtle, snapping turtle lake ralphine, snapping turtle santa rosa lake, snapping turtle spotted in north bay, wild animal sighting, are there snapping turtles in California, large turtle sighting, are snapping turtles violent

Id: fu66Fnj0GEI

Length: 2min 1sec (121 seconds)

Published: Thu May 18 2023