A 65-lb turtle called Lord Fairfax was found recently lumbering through a Virginia neighborhood puzzling the locals He was out of place for sure. His species — the alligator snapping turtle — isn’t native to the area. They’re aquatic creatures preferring the rivers further south than in a suburb. And yet, that’s where authorities found him – near a residential pond in Fairfax County.
No one knows how he got there. But authorities can hazard a guess. Lord Fairfax was most likely bred in captivity, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries said.
“If you are considering a turtle as a pet, please do your homework first and find out what it takes to provide adequate care for a lifelong commitment,” the department said.
At 65 lbs, Lord Fairfax was a youngster. Fully grown, this species can exceed 200 lbs.
The turtle never would have posed much of a threat to the locals. But he most likely would have died slowly from freezing or starvation, the department said.
