Snapping turtle found severely beaten on golf course


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FREDONIA (WITI) ? A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for the abuse to a female snapping turtle found on the Delbrook Golf Course in Delavan.

WARNING: Pictures below are graphic and not suitable for all

Officials with the Pine View Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Fredonia recovered the turtle from the golf course late on Monday, June 10th. It apparently had been abused that morning ? possibly between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

The turtle, a female looking for a place to lay her eggs, was found lying in the sand bunker off Hole 4 North. Wildlife rehabilitators indicate the turtle had holes in its shell and also was struck in the right eye. It appeared to have been beaten with a golf club. The golf course superintendent saw the turtle about 7:30 a.m. when it was in the bunker preparing to lay her eggs, and was not in the condition reported about two hours later. The warden and the superintendent searched the bunker after 9:30 a.m. but no eggs were found.

?I am wordless which is rare for people who know me. I have no defense for this type of criminal act,? said Jeannie Lord, Exec. Dir. of Pine View Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

Wildlife rehabilitators say surgery is planned to try to save the turtle?s life. The turtle has about a 40 percent chance of survival. On Tuesday morning, veterinarian Linda Mehoke with the Fredonia Vet Clinic took the case. It?s possible there could be a spinal injury because the turtle is not moving its back legs. But there?s more.

?The main problem is going to be controlling infection?and internal infection until that wound on the back can heal,? said Mehoke.

The turtle was eggless, and rehabilitators say the turtle may have laid her eggs somewhere in the bunker.

The reward is being offered by the Global Conversation Group.

If you have information about this abuse, please contact the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Emergency Tip Line: 1-800-TIPWDNR. Callers can remain anonymous.

I won't post the pictures. You can go to the link if you wish to see them.

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Like I needed another reason to hate golf.

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I saw a picture earlier but didn't take a close look because I could already feel myself filling with rage. Reading through the story brought me back up a notch, for sure. I just don't understand how anyone could do that, I'd have taken the club and swung for their legs if I had seen it happening.

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No doubt the poor creature interfered with some yuppie's game so it deserved to be beaten.

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Snapping turtles can be very dangerous if you get in range of those powerful jaws, but this is just inexcusable.

At worst someone should have called the office and had someone come with gear to move it to a pond. We just approach from behind and pick them up by the tail, keeping them at arms length. Pi**es them off royally, but no harm.

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I hope the follow up headline to this story will be

Person who beat a female snapping turtle in a golf course found, beaten to an inch of their life with the very same weapon!

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Turtles are often hunted, the meat being very tasty and the hunted species plentiful, but they're dispatched quickly. Just torturing them? To what end? Totally UNACCEPTABLE.

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I wouldn't imagine it would be too hard to find the asshat who did it. You got a 2 hour window and most golf courses have names and tee times.

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What the hell is wrong with people these days. How could someone do that to a mother turtle that was trying to care for its unhatched babies?

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Find out who did it and take a golf club to them. I'll volunteer.

Naw, tie them down and release a bunch of snapping turtles and let them have a crack at him/her. Much more painful depending on where they are bitten. :)

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Id have to imagine it would take a great deal of strength and multiple hits in order put a hole in a turtle shell. Hopefully the person is found, arrested, fined and obviously banned from that specific golf course. Im sure his friends wont want to be associated with him anymore once it become public

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Especially tough is a snapping turtles shell - the Abrams tank of turtles

Alligator_snapping_turtle.jpg

It's a female, they tend to have smooth upper carapaces compared to the males.

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So sad. RIP little turtle.

I don't think it is dead. Let's hope it can recover.

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I would not have tortured it, but killed it quickly, and fired up the grill. I love me some turtle meat.

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