IT’S not a birdie - so what’s this creature doing at a Bournemouth golf course?
The turtle was spotted in a lake at the Queen’s Park Golf Club this week.
Believed to be a Peninsula Cooter, the freshwater turtle is more commonly found in Florida waters.
Jason Miller, from Reptiles Plus in Bournemouth, said: “Turtles are quite commonly sold and then kept in little plastic tubs.
“When they get too big, people just dump them and hope they will survive.”
Turtles are non-native to the UK, and wildlife laws are in place to protect them.
The creatures cannot be sold or offered for sale without the government’s permission.
Mr Miller said: “Whoever has put the animals in there has broken the law.
“Unfortunately, it is a common thing to happen.”
Members of the public who spot a turtle in a pond are asked to report it to local conservation groups.
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