Drains were put in place to allow waste water to leave our properties safely and efficiently and without them, or with blocked drains; we really would be in a mess! So, what happens when you find a foreign object, or thing, stuck in your drainage system? Well, that’s exactly what Travis Lewis of Baton Rouge, Louisiana found in a drainage culvert near his driveway.
Caught in a culvert
Lewis was simply walking by the drainage canal when he first spotted something peculiar. At a first glance, he thought the object was that of a log, but at a closer look he soon realised it was not a log at all but rather a huge, four foot-long turtle!
On his realisation, Lewis raised the alarm by shouting for support from his friend Martin LeBlanc. LeBlanc’s instant thoughts were one of panic and anguish.
“I didn’t know what was going on,” states LeBlanc. “I thought something had him!”
The pair soon realised that the turtle was in fact in danger. The animal was wedged in a culvert and couldn’t break free.
“One of our friends actually climbed in the culvert and pulled the turtle out, he was wedged in real tight”, explained LeBlanc. After a 45 minute struggle, they managed to free it from its tangled state, and the warning soon went out to stay well clear from its alligator-like snapping jaws!
Rescue and release
“If one latches on to you, it’s not going to let you go”. The turtle has an alligator-like jaw that once latched onto something, will take whatever it has with it!! But luckily, the pair were aware of this and did everything they could to safely release the turtle. The nearest and safest place was a child’s play pool but with a head the size of a football and knowing of its dangerous bite, the poor animal did look somewhat out of its comfort zone.
With the animal’s well-being in mind, the pair fully intend to set it free, once they find a space that is big enough and safe enough so someone else doesn’t find themselves with the task of moving a 4 foot-long alligator snapping turtle out of their drainage culvert!
If you need specialist help with your drainage systems, please feel free to get in touch with the team here at Wildon UK and we can find a drainage solution that suits you.
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