A number of terrapins that made a Buckinghamshire park their home after likely being abandoned by their owners are being rehomed.

The small turtle species has been a familiar sight at Black Park in Iver for many years, but now they are all being caught in humane traps so they can be moved to a sanctuary in Lincolnshire.

Terrapins became a popular household pet in the late 1980s, but many then started to appear in lakes and parks - most likely because they were dumped by their owners.

But Buckinghamshire Council says conditions in the lake at Black Park are "not ideal" for the terrapins to thrive in.

Because they are cold-blooded, they need warmer environments and are "ill-equipped" to survive in the damp British climate in the wild.

The council also says the reptiles - who eat fish, amphibians, small rodents, birds, eggs, larvae and plants - are also upsetting the natural ecosystem in the park.

They are officially declared an invasive species and it is illegal to buy, sell, breed or release terrapins into the wild in the UK.

In a bid to solve the problem caused by the terrapin population in Black Park, the council's Country Parks Team has joined up with the National Turtle Sanctuary to relocate the chelonian creatures.

Working with the experts from the sanctuary, the team at Black Park has placed a number of humane traps in the lake to carefully capture the reptiles.

Once all the reptiles are found and kept safe in their temporary pond in the park, the National Turtle Sanctuary will send a team to retrieve the semi-aquatic creatures and will transport them back to their base in Lincolnshire where they will take up permanent residence in a new custom-built home.

Andy Ferguson, Herpetologist from the National Turtle Sanctuary said: “We are really pleased to be working with Buckinghamshire Council on this project to rehome these abandoned terrapins.

"Black Park lake is a beautiful location and many people may think the terrapins would be happy here but unfortunately that is not the case.

"Without proper acclimatisation and monitoring within their environments they can suffer awful consequences.”

The relocation project forms part of a wider upcoming piece of work by the country parks team to tackle erosion of the lake shore and banks over coming years.

This will include work to build out banks and plant native plant species to provide further stabilisation.

Cllr Clive Harriss, cabinet member for culture and leisure at the council, said: “Our country parks provide a natural home to a wide variety of plants and wildlife. Sadly terrapins are not one of those natural species.

"We have had to carry out this work to ensure these creatures are taken somewhere better suited to their needs and our native species do not suffer at their expense.

“I would urge anyone who has a pet terrapin but who perhaps can no longer look after it to get in touch with organisations like the National Turtle Sanctuary to enquire about rehoming in a suitable new environment.”

Cllr Harriss added: It is wonderful to see our country parks being so well used and we hope this programme of work to the lake edge and repairs to the pathway will help to ensure we can continue to enjoy the lush and beautiful surroundings without impacting negatively on the natural plant and wildlife.”