Locals in Cumbria, England, were surprised to find that a spiky, dinosaur-like creature was seen swimming in a tiny body of water near their homes.

The rescuers named the hard-shelled critter Fluffy, which is neither fluffy nor cuddly, from across the water and possesses a “nasty bite” that can sever a finger in one snap.

Continue reading to find out why this prehistoric species poses a significant threat to the small lake in Cumbria, England.

Last week, a dog and his owner were walking along the shores of Urswick Tarns, a limestone-rich area famed for its diverse flora and fauna, when they came across a dinosaur-like monster with spiky armor on its back.

Unsure of what it was, the person took a photo of the strange critter and posted it on Facebook, hoping to get some answers.

Denise Chamberlain, an Urswick parish councillor who formerly worked in Florida, saw the message and recognized the carnivorous creature that can give someone a “nasty nip.”

Speaking with PA Media (via the Guardian), Chamberlain stated, “I looked at it and immediately thought, ‘oh goodness, I know what you are.’” She identified the critter as a juvenile alligator snapping turtle and explained, “These turtles have a natural defence mechanism: when you go near them, they open their mouth.”

Chamberlain then embarked on a rescue mission to safely fish out the turtle, which was presumably abandoned by an owner who no longer wanted to care for the tough reptile with powerful jaws that can easily snap through bone.

The dinosaur-like turtles, typically found in swamps and rivers across the southern U.S. and in Central and South America, can grow up to 200 lbs and live more than 100 years.

“These species are invasive, they’re non-native and I knew it was going to upset the ecology of the tarn, which is very finely balanced,” she said of the turtle, who has no natural predators and would clean the tarn of its wildlife. “That type of creature, while it’s not going to breed, could do some real damage to the fish stocks and eat all sorts of local wildlife.”

The Rescue

Chamberlain proceeded with utmost caution, having never handled this species of animal before. She ventured into the murky waters, armed with safety gloves to protect her fingers and a shopping basket to transport him to his new home.

She said the angry-looking turtle “just sat in the shadows,” with his beak above the waterline. “It was lurking around the top so it could catch the rays of the sun but [the turtle] stays underwater and breathes.” She went on: “It looked like a prehistoric little dinosaur.

Because the water and turtle were chilly, it was simple to capture, but not before alerting her captor by opening her formidable jaws.

“Fortunately, because it was quite cold and the turtle itself was quite cold, it wasn’t too difficult to manoeuvre into the shopping basket,” Chamberlain further states.

Please do not abandon pets.

Following a raw chicken feast, Chamberlain brought the turtle to Wild Side Vets in Barrow-in-Furness.

Wild Side Vets urges people to be more considerate when getting a pet.

“We believe he had been abandoned at the tarn. If you are struggling to keep your reptile, please feel free to talk to us in confidence, no judgement and we will do our very best to help.” The post, which also includes photos of the turtle who’s believed to be about five or six years old, continues, “Please don’t abandon or keep any reptile in suboptimal conditions. We can help.”

Fluffy

The vet tells PA Media, “We haven’t been able to identify whether it’s male or female due to its size – but we’re calling it Fluffy for now.”

Chamberlain adds, “I think the name Fluffy is very appropriate – it’s a reference to the creature from Harry Potter.” And, as one Facebook user said, “it certainly looks like a creature Hagrid would love.”

Meanwhile, locals are showering the turtle and his rescuers with affection on social media.