I GUESS YOU HAD TO BE THERE

I have always hated animal cruelty. Whatever form it takes, from abusing animals, to hurting them for fun/sport, I hope there us an especially warm seat in Hell for people who would take any delight in hurting an animal.

I have also, for all my life had a keen interest in reptiles, especially turtles. Every Spring, I am searching the local roads for turtles; fresh hatched from a nest, or females traveling, looking for a suitable nesting location. I try my best to prevent any of them from being "road kill".

All that being written, my very DARK sense of humor found the following newspaper article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette this A.M. very funny. Either one or more people had no idea what was about to transpire, or, someone thought their cruel "trick" was going to be unnoticed.

The funny part to me of this -- okay, the "sick funny" part -- is that a Red-Eared Turtle to an alligator, is like a donut to a cop. One's good. Now give 'em another one. And another.

Red-Eared Turtles are NOT native to the deep Southern United States. That's were the alligators are.

Maybe Red-Eared Turtles lived there a time long ago. Until the alligators ate them all ... like peanut M&M's.

The turtles of the deep South -- "Cooters" &/or "Sliders" ... turtles which do live in nature with alligators -- have a very thick, hard shell. Difficult, in most cases, for an alligator to crack open & eat. [But, to their credit, an alligator will try.]

Now, back to the newspaper article.

Did the people who donated the meal ... ah ... the turtle, not know the two species do not do well together ?? More importantly, what of the people working at the Gulfarium ?? Did they not know the outcome of adding the turtle to a display with one or more alligators ??

I think I know what happened, & thus it has me chuckling each time I reread the article.

I bet the turtle was "accepted" as a donation & put in with the alligators -- knowing the outcome in advance -- but in so doing, the person(s) at the Gulfarium were unaware the mother & son were still there viewing the "dinner", thinking the two had already left the facility.

I've seen a lot alligators eat turtles. Yes, at Zoo's too. The article brings back those memories & I find it funny. I know -- "Sick Funny".

I bet the Red-Eared Turtle didn't find it so humorous.

I guess you had to be there.