Politics and celebrity gossip are usually the topics that make the news in Warsaw, but sometimes something a little more light-hearted catches our attention.
Earlier this week, a strange, green visitor was found swimming in a canal at the northern end of the Lazienkowski Park (also known as the Lazienki Park). No, the visitor was not of the alien variety (unfortunately, we think) but was rather a cute, lost turtle - a Red-Eared Slider to be exact. According to local residents, it's not entirely unusual for turtles to be spotted in the area.
However, the Red-Eared Slider is not a native species to the area and could disrupt the balance of the local ecosystem. This particular species of turtle is a popular pet, and a common problem is for unwanted pet turtles to be discarded in local waterways.
Over two days (Monday and Tuesday), the animal rescue unit Eko Patrol attempted to recover the turtle from the canal. Unfortunately they were not able to catch the creature, and because of costs, a full rescue operation has been abandoned.
Fun Fact: The most famous Red-Eared Sliders are the four members of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles gang.
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