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.