Snapping turtles show up at London man's home for yearly ride to Thames River

Jack Sutton · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 01, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 1

A snapping turtle clawing astatine the beforehand doorway is not a regular occurrence for astir Londoners, but astatine Alan Graham's house, it happens astir each year.

When 1 showed up connected his structure 3 days ago, helium did what helium ever does: helium acceptable the turtle successful his wheelbarrow and ferried it to its destination. 

Graham lives conscionable disconnected Killarney Road successful northeast London. On 1 broadside of his location lies the Highbury Wetlands Trail and connected the other, the Thames River. Every summer, turtles acceptable retired from ponds on the trail, crossing the engaged roadworthy to marque the dilatory trek down to the river. They indispensable person ever taken the aforesaid route, Graham said, but increasing residential neighbourhoods successful the country person go confusing obstacles successful their path. So, erstwhile they amusement up connected his structure looking lost, helium said helium wants to help. 

"The archetypal 1 this twelvemonth conscionable looked truthful dehydrated, it looked similar it had been determination for hours," helium said. "I thought, 'I'm gonna get it to the stream arsenic rapidly arsenic I can.'"

The precise archetypal brushwood Graham had with 1 of the snapping turtles was astir 15 years agone erstwhile helium heard a scratching sound astatine his door. Nervous, but determined, helium enactment connected heavy gloves, got down it and safely picked it up.

"Every clip you spell to prime it up it truly conscionable snaps, and it's truthful accelerated it the full assemblage shakes," helium said. "It's precise scary." 

After years of experience, Graham said helium doesn't hesitate. He conscionable grabs the turtle, sets it successful his wheelbarrow and tries his champion to enactment down it the full time. 

Until recently, it seemed to beryllium the aforesaid turtle coming backmost twelvemonth aft year, arsenic it was ample and recognizable— 2 feet agelong and astir 30 pounds. But truthful acold this year, 2 smaller ones person shown up, instead. Of course, they besides got a escaped thrust successful Graham's wheelbarrow. 

"I consciousness atrocious that we are benignant of imposing connected their mean routes and their life," helium said. "Other animals too, similar cervid and chaotic turkeys and beavers, they're each successful the country and they've each had to set due to the fact that of us." 

Graham likes to stock photos and videos of the turtles online and radical are ever blessed that different 1 has made it determination safely, helium said, particularly arsenic Killarney Road gets busier and busier.   

Unfortunately, not each traveling turtle makes it crossed the road, helium said, remembering a twelvemonth erstwhile 1 was deed by a car. He said helium would similar to spot drivers successful the country beryllium much vigilant.

"Make definite that you dilatory down if you spot a turtle coming and halt completely,"