Woman Takes Photo Of 'Space-Like' Animal In Storm Drain, And No One Can Figure It Out

Jennifer St. Pierre loves to walk around her home in North Branch, Michigan, and observe all the wildlife. She even takes photos a few times a week, capturing deer, birds and raccoons frolicking, snacking or just enjoying nature.

But recently St. Pierre captured something in her backyard so unidentifiable she couldn’t wait to share it on social media. Many guessed St. Pierre photographed something from outer space, but it was actually an animal commonly found in the area.

“I was behind my house, where there is a drain that leads to the Flint River,” St. Pierre told The Dodo. “I saw something in the drain, [and] at first, I thought it was a really big muskrat.”

As St. Pierre moved closer, she could easily tell it wasn’t a muskrat — or a land animal at all.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes!” St. Pierre said. “It was a snapper, and it was big.”

“I see snappers all the time, but this was easily double the largest I had previously seen,” she added.

After posting the photo on Facebook, many people guessed the animal’s true identity. Some suggested the figure appeared “space-like,” such as a constellation or nebula.

You can watch the snapping turtle swimming along here:

Michigan weather has been unseasonably warm, St. Pierre said, so turtle-spotting has been a regular activity — just not typically in her storm drain.

“I have spotted painted turtles on the river enjoying the sun,” St. Pierre said. “This day was in the 70s and the sun was shining. There were a few carp swimming near him.”

Thankfully the snapping turtle found his way back to the river, but St. Pierre is just happy she didn’t accidentally find alien life in her storm drain, after all.