BEAST OF BUSCO
AKA: Churubusco Turtle | Oscar the Turtle
📍 QUICK FACTS
| Origin: | Churubusco, Indiana |
| State/Region: | Indiana |
| Country: | USA |
| First Sighting: | 1898 |
| Category: | Aquatic |
📖 DESCRIPTION
An enormous snapping turtle estimated to be 4-6 feet in length and weighing 400-500 pounds. Lives in Fulk Lake (now drained) and has eluded multiple capture attempts.
👁️ FAMOUS SIGHTINGS
- ►Farmer Oscar Fulk first reported seeing a giant turtle
- ►Gale Harris and Ora Blue spotted the creature while fishing
- ►Massive hunt involving pumping the lake drew national attention
🎭 CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
The Beast of Busco put Churubusco on the map. The town hosts an annual 'Turtle Days' festival celebrating the creature. The failed 1949 hunt became national news and a beloved piece of Indiana folklore.
