Advice to Cop Who Shot 50-Lb. Turtle: "Put It in the Water."
The Exeter, Pa., police department is scaring up some bad PR in the wake of the killing of a giant snapping turtle over the weekend. Sgt. Len Galli shot the 50-pound turtle twice in the head after it wandered onto a residential lawn. Galli said the turtle was a threat to children.
According to the local paper:
“You’re talking about a serious public relations nightmare when an officer shoots an animal,” said Jason Carter, a certified wildlife control professional.
Animal advocates pointed out that the officer could have simply thrown a blanket on the turtle and then put it back in the water. Said an SPCA spokesperson: “Turtles are slow and cumbersome. It’s not like they’re going to catch up with you.”
Galli hasn’t helped himself with his response to local reporters. “It’s not like it’s an endangered species,” he said with a laugh.
A friendly (and free) recommendation to the Exeter PD: get your public information officer on the case Monday morning.
(Edit 7-17-05: I’ve attached the image of a 50-lb. snapper suggested in one of the comments for this post.)
What you don’t know is, PA fish and game comission were called by officer Galli. Their response to him was “it is not our problem,” nice huh.
Way to pass the buck…
He did the right thing.
Thank you for this information. The only thing I would add, though, is that even if the buck was passed to him and he didn’t know how else to respond to the situation, he could have given a better explanation to the local paper. He shouldn’t have laughed or come off as insensitive to the life of the animal. In future, the officer is better off getting the PIO involved — someone who is experienced in talking with reporters.
Greetings all,
Hopefully I can dispel some of the myths surrounding the lowly Common Snapping turtle. It’s very easy to claim to be an expert in this field in order to substantiate my rhetoric but here goes; I have been a herpetologist for federal jurisdictions for many years, I lead numerous research projects through the University where I’m an adjunct professor, and I have numerous papers published focusing on the ecology and life-history of Chelydra serpentina.
First and foremost, the common snapping turtle is not a dangerous animal by any stretch of the imagination. The turtle will snap at a perceived threat but it will not actively approach and attack, there has never been a report of an unprovoked attack. If you harass a snapping turtle out of water then you may illicit a snap. In this regard, the turtle is no more dangerous than a bumblebee or a piece of broken glass. If you find a piece of broken glass and feel that it poses a risk to a child (even though the glass is not going to chase after the child and cut him/her) then you pick it up and move it, you don’t pull out your gun and shoot it.
Second, the bite force pressure of the snapping turtle’s mandibles is absolutely incapable of snapping your average broom stick (also, there has never EVER been a report of a common snapping turtle removing fingers from a person). This is simply unsubstantiated sensationalism at its best. Just like how fish stories are always embellished to make the story better. I can assure you that the largest common snapping turtle that we have ever studied (~60lbs) was thoroughly unable to snap a broom stick - it’s a physical impossibility so everyone should get that out of their heads, just because someone said it happened does not make it so.
Third, I have restrained and measured upwards of 50 snapping turtles on any given day during nesting season and they are one of the easiest animals to control (out of literally thousands of animals studied over the last 30 years, neither I, nor any of my students, have been bitten). Two hands under the caudal portion of the carapace, above the rear legs, is all that is required - the snapping turtle is unable to reach you.
Fourth, it is because of these brain-dead morons that there are a disproportionately high number of turtle species at risk in North America. The adult female is extremely important to the survival of the population. A research colleague warns that even the loss of 1-2% of adults annually from “extra” mortality (through anthropogenic causes) can, and will, inevitably push turtle populations toward extinction.
The survival rate of any given egg reaching adulthood is incredibly low, as low as 1 in 10,000. Most eggs are lost to predators even before hatching and a large number of hatchlings are also lost to predators.
It takes upwards of 20 years for a snapping turtle to reach sexual maturity.
Since this particular turtle was found on land, it was most likely a female (as males are rarely encountered on land) that was looking for a place to nest. So our hero, Galli, has removed a sexually reproductive female from the population. Will the population recover? Time will tell, but we’ve seen populations decline from the loss of only 1-2 adult females.
Fifth, here is a photo of one of my graduate students holding a 50lb snapping turtle. Granted, he’s no “superman” like Galli, but even he can easily manage this turtle safely.
http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/LandS.jpg
Sixth, what’s done is done and Galli made a mistake. That’s not what troubles me. What troubles me is that he is not assuming responsibility for his actions, which leads me to believe that this inbred hick would do the same thing again if the situation should arise. Galli - you made a mistake, try to learn from it so that you can make the right move next time.
Kind regards.
That photo link should have .jpg at the end of it, the ‘pg’ was cut off for some reason.
Regards.
Convincing people (or companies) to say they’re sorry when they’ve made a mistake is often the hardest job in PR. The officer involved could have nipped the controversy in the bud simply by expressing regret.
After viewing the picture in the Times Leader of the snapping turtle shot by Galli, I was amazed that a turtle that size could weigh 50 pounds. The 50 pound turtle shown in Chelydra’s link is much bigger than the one Galli so callously killed. It’s difficult to call Galli an officer let alone a peace officer. Anyway I know they couldn’t have weighed that turtle and if they had, it probably weighed between 25 to 30 pounds and that was before Galli pumped two rounds of lead into it. People like Galli shouldn’t be wearing a uniform and definitely should not be allowed to carry a gun.
CHELYDA
You shuldnt go around insulting people like that especially people who put thier lives on the line every day to protect others. Dont get me wrong you have the right to express yourself, but but not to attack someone for trying help someone who asked for help even when they are ill equipped. He also called the Fish and Game Commision and they said “Its not our problem.” So, if you are mad at any one it should be your supposedly wildlife officals at the Game Commision. You should also know there is a first time for everything.Out of the numerous time you have studied turtles this could have been the time your results changed not every animal or living thing is the same. You could do billions of studies and they could all be the same then number billion and one could be totaly diffrent from them all and change everything. You should do the honorable and right thing and appologize to the officer for insulting him so.
I mean turtles are killed all the time by cars flying down the country roads and there isnt really anything being done about that.
I guess what Im trying to say is that _YOU!!_ are a sad and very ugly person who i hope is never put any situtation that calls for you to do anything out side your so call profession.
Len Galli is an out of control wannabe Rambo,who needs time in a cell himself.
this guy sounds like a moron….another useless cop…using good tax dollars to do stupid acts if idiocy. i hope this cop gets hit by a truck or worse