Large terrapin found at Southern Water’s Testwood Water Supply Works in Totton
A LARGE terrapin considered one of the world’s most invasive species has been found at a New Forest water treatment plant.
The red-eared terrapin was rescued by Southern Water ecologist Tom Alexander at one of its river extraction sites at Testwood Water Supply Works in Totton.
A popular pet, it is native to the US and on the list of the world's 100 most invasive species, compiled by the Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Tom said: “I saw the terrapin sunning itself at the edge of one of the water points. I reached over and picked it up and the terrapin didn’t struggle at all.
“I kept it in my bath at home while I found an animal charity that would agree to rehome it. The terrapin was around about the size of a large dinner plate, weighed around 5kgs and was around 25cm long.
“My children loved having him at home and named him Terry.”
It has now been rehomed at Raystede Animal Sanctuary in Sussex.
The sanctuary’s rehoming manager Amelia Thomas said: “Terrapins are often bought as pets as they are small and relatively cheap but there is woefully little information about how to keep them. Many owners do not realise that terrapins grow into very large adults.
“We identified this particular terrapin as female and renamed her ‘Terri’.”
One of the sanctuary’s biggest terrapin residents, Terri spent some time in an isolation unit before being put into a large terrapin sanctuary in time for hibernation season.
It is estimated there are currently over 4,000 terrapins living in the wild in the UK, mainly in London where the human population is dense, and more terrapin owners live.