Sun Yongcheng’s catch, in Weishan Lake, Anhui province, was later identified as an alligator snapping turtle, which is not native to the country.

The species is only native to North America and was probably someone’s pet before being dumped in the lake, the local fishing department said.

The creature’s alien status meant that it could have posed a danger to the local ecological system, they added.

Sun said he was surprised when he netted the alligator turtle, which measures 76cm long and 30cm wide and weighs 7kg.

He said: “I suddenly noticed a black thing was hooked on the net, which scared me. It was struggling and biting the net when I pulled it up.”

The spokesman for the Jining Fishing Bureau said this was the first time an alligator snapping turtle had been found in the local water system.

He said: “Somebody may have dumped their pet into the lake, which could greatly endanger the local ecology.”Posted byCorinnaat11:08

Tiger killed a fisherman and injured two more in separate attacks at Satkhira Range of the Sundarbans on Thursday and Friday. Sources said that the slain fisherman was fishing along with other fishermen in Bara Keyakhali canal at 8:30am Friday and then a man-eater tiger swooped on Sabiruddin, 40, son of Kiamudddin from Burigoalini village under Syamnagar upazila and dragged him deep into the forest.

Later, his badly bruised body was recovered by the co-fishermen at noon with the help of forest guards. In another incident, a minor son of a fisherman and another youth were injured in another tiger attack at the time of catching crabs at Chushkhali in Sundarban’s West Zone area on Thursday last.

The injured were identified as Ruhul Morol, 13, son of Mostafa Morol and Khokon Morol, 22, son of Rashid Morol hailed from Harinagar village of the upazila. They were rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.

Witnesses said that Mostafa Morol along with his son Ruhul Morol and neighbor Khokon went to the area to catch crabs in the morning. Toufikul Islam, ACF of Satkhira Range confirmed the incidents.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/05/16/news0114.htm