Jun. 26—A video of a man picking up and smashing wild snapping turtles near Portland’s Evergreen Cemetery ponds on Saturday sparked outrage on social media and is now being investigated by Portland police.
A police spokesman said the department is investigating but would not provide any more information about the case.
Ruthann Weist, the police department’s animal control officer, also confirmed that she opened a criminal investigation and said she could not disclose any details because the investigation is ongoing.
The person who posted the video on Reddit under a pseudonym wrote that they were walking their dog near the ponds at the edge of the cemetery when they saw a man driving erratically in a blue Toyota SUV, who then got out of the vehicle and stumbled into a pond. The man then picked up a large turtle and threw it onto a granite stone near the pond, the witness wrote.
As the passerby was recording phone video from across the pond, the man stood on the bank of the pond and threw one turtle on top of another twice, smashing their shells against each other.
The brief video then shows the man picking up one of the turtles and walking away. The person who posted the video wrote that the man took the turtle back to his car. It was not clear what became of the other turtle.
The video received over 170 comments and over 370 had viewed it. Most of the comments expressed outrage or disgust.
“This is absolutely gut wrenching to watch. So so so horrible. I hope this man gets shown just as much mercy as he showed those turtles. Repulsive,” one commenter wrote.
Wesley Brumbaugh, director of cemeteries and historic projects, said the cemetery does not know more than what has circulated on the internet.
“We haven’t done anything besides keeping on the lookout for injured turtles, calling the proper authorities and taking them to the vet,” Brumbaugh said. Brumbaugh said early Tuesday that the cemetery staff had not found any injured turtles yet.
Evergreen Cemetery is a popular spot to enjoy nature and watch wildlife in Portland, and is used by Maine Audubon for birdwatching outings and field trips. It sometimes draws crowds, such as when a rare bird makes an appearance. Crowds lined the shore of the ponds a few years ago to watch when otters temporarily took up residence in one of them.
Allison and Gavin Glider of South Portland were walking around the pond Tuesday afternoon, something they do a handful of times a year. They had not heard about the video, but said it was troubling to hear about the incident.
“People are constantly coming to observe wildlife here,” Allison said. “We were just talking about Gavin’s philosophy on looking at wildlife and not touching.”
Gavin said he had taught outdoor education with Nature’s Classroom for four years. He said he wouldn’t even use a net to catch frogs.
“Animal abuse bothers me so much,” Allison said. “I think social media is making animal abuse much worse.”
Mark Latti, communications director for the state’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said the state warden service also received a report and is talking to people as part of an investigation.
Latti did not say reports of turtle abuse were common in Maine, but that they happen.
“We’ve had reports of people intentionally swerving to run over turtles in the road,” Latti said.
Latti said snapping turtles are a species native to Maine and are common in waters throughout the state. The turtles are long-lived, slow to reproduce and lay eggs in nests that are susceptible to predators, he said, and the removal of turtles from a local population is harmful to the rest of the turtles in that ecosystem.
State law allows people to take and possess up to two snapping turtles from the wild without a permit under certain conditions, but it also prohibits intentionally injuring, torturing or beating animals.
“People are allowed up to two snapping turtles in their possession to either keep alive or for consumption,” Latti said. “There are some people that do that but it’s not widespread.”
City officials did not respond Tuesday to clarify whether Portland has different rules for the taking and possession of wildlife from city parks.
Copy the Story Link
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
