Don’t Panic! Authorities Say There’s No Need to Worry. Imagine coming face to face with a gigantic creature in the water, just a few feet away from you. Read on to discover how this woman reacted when she encountered a legendary beast and why her story has become so incredibly popular.
Shala Holm, a native of Buffalo, Minnesota, had a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with an enormous snapping turtle a few months ago. However, it wasn’t until recently that her photo of the creature went viral.
The picture captures the turtle’s massive claws reaching towards a net filled with fish, its head resembling that of Godzilla. Just from the image alone, it’s evident that this turtle is larger than most.
It all happened during Shala’s annual vacation with her family at Niemeyer’s Rugged River Resort near Brainerd this past summer. Shala and her daughter were in a tandem kayak when they first spotted the creature.
“My daughter suddenly said, ‘Mom, be quiet. I can hear something breathing,’” Shala recalled.
When Shala turned to look towards the shore, she was startled to see the turtle’s snout inching closer to a fish basket hanging from their kayak.
“It kind of grabbed onto it,” she said. “It was so big, and we were so startled.”
To scare off the turtle, Shala shook the basket until it swam away.
Curious to see if they could find it again and capture a photo, the mother and daughter returned to the same spot the next day in their kayak. They spent their time fishing until the turtle reemerged.
“When you’re in a kayak, you’re really close to the water,” Shala explained. “So we were really quite close.”
Although the exact size of the reptile in the water was uncertain, the mother and daughter were fairly certain it was a snapping turtle, with legs roughly the size of Shala’s wrists.
According to the state Department of Natural Resources, adult snapping turtles typically measure between 8 to 14 inches long and weigh anywhere from 10 to 35 pounds. To put things in perspective, the largest turtle ever recorded in Minnesota weighed an impressive 65 pounds!
Seeking more information, Shala sent the photo to the DNR. They estimated the turtle to be at least 15 years old, but it could even be as old as 30.
The photo gained popularity after the resort owners, Corby and Sheila Niemeyer, decided to post it on their Facebook page. Since then, the post has received thousands of shares and nearly a thousand comments. The story has even caught the attention of media outlets.
“Many people have asked whether it’s real,” said Sheila Niemeyer. “And yes, it really is.”
The resort is located on a calm and slow section of the Mississippi River, north of Brainerd. The owners often witness a variety of local wildlife in the area.
“Every June, we see turtles coming up on shore to lay their eggs,” Sheila explained. “We love watching the turtles, but seeing such a big one was truly remarkable.”
Despite the concerns expressed by some Facebook users, Sheila assures everyone that it’s not as dangerous as it appears.
“I believe if you were to observe any lake or river closely, you would come across all sorts of things you never imagined,” she said. “These creatures won’t bother you. They want to be left alone.”
In fact, Sheila hopes that the widespread attention the post has received will attract more guests to their resort.
“I hope this won’t discourage people from visiting because they think, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t want to swim with that!’” she said. “For the most part, there’s no cause for concern. Witnessing wildlife like this is simply amazing.”
According to Erica Hoaglund, a regional nongame wildlife specialist with the Minnesota DNR, snapping turtles are often misunderstood because of their “frightening” appearance and defensive reactions when threatened. However, they are not dangerous.
Snapping turtles are generally most peaceful in the water and tend to display aggressive behavior only on land, where they feel more vulnerable. While they may defend themselves out of fear, they will never initiate an attack.
“They primarily want to avoid encounters and will hide or flee if given the chance,” stated Hoaglund.
Shala, the brave witness who originally encountered the colossal turtle, expressed no fear. In fact, she plans to return to the resort next year in the hopes of finding her old friend once more.
“I’ll go back to that spot and see if he or she is still around,” she said.
What are your thoughts? Would you swim in that river? Let us know in the comments!
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Check out the incredible encounter in this video:
