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Wayne Owens is a regular swimmer at the lake but said he was “traumatised” by the experience and is too afraid to enter the water. He works on the lake and has begun urging people on social media to keep their children and small dogs out of the water.
The 61-year-old has suggested it may be a catfish or even a crocodile that was released in the water. However, a ranger for the Lake District National Park Authority said that they had not seen anything out of the ordinary after an investigation.
Mr Owens said: “I was on the Steamer and this grey lag goose was taken from the top of the lake and dragged backwards and it was not to be seen again. We kept watching and it didn’t come back up.
“It was full size maybe 10 to 12 pounds it was flapping furiously and it couldn’t get away from whatever had it. The next day I saw two smaller ones get dragged underwater and my skipper witnessed this as well.”
He told his skipper about the attack. He said he believed him but had never seen anything like it on the lake. The next day Mr Owens and his skipper witnessed another attack.
Speaking to LancsLive, Mr Owens added: “I was talking to the skipper when another two small grey lags maybe 5lbs each and they could not fly properly were dragged under. They had separated from the flock and ran across the water.
“The first one was taken down immediately, My skipper who has 36 years of experience was with me and said he had never seen any goings-on like it. Within 15 seconds the second one had been taken.”
Mr Owens says that the experience had been “traumatic” and he refuses to enter the water.
He said: “When I have spoken to people about it they have said that a pike would have to be 50-60lb to drag a fully grown goose down and they would normally jump on top. I think something has been released into the water and when I have spoken to people about it, they have said it could be a crocodile or a catfish. Some people think I’m mad but I have nothing to gain from this.
“It traumatised me. I want people to stay out of the water with their children and small dogs and I would like the Lake District National Park Authority to put some signs up warning people that there is something in the water.”
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A spokeswoman for the Lake District National Park Authority told LancsLive that its rangers hadn’t found anything out of the ordinary after patrolling the lake.
She said: “We are aware of the alleged incidents involving geese on Ullswater. Our Lake Ranger team patrolled the area over the weekend and did not see anything out of the ordinary. The Environment Agency is also aware.”
Others took to social media to weigh in on the mysterious creature.
One said: “Pike are the sharks of freshwater. Many fishermen will tell you Swans, ducklings and many water birds fall victim to them, it’s nature. You can get large Catfish too. These fish will grow to very large specimens in lakes.
“It’s their domain. It’s common all over the country in rivers and lakes for large Pike to take down birds. Just don’t let small dogs swim in there.
“It’s nature, it’s their territory. Of course occasionally you will get irresponsible people releasing foreign species into lakes and rivers.”
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Crocodiles are not native to the UK, however YorkshireLive reported in 2020 that nature photographer Lee Collings claimed to see a crocodile in a nature reserve near Castleford.
He was unable to get a photograph of the animal but others in the area reportedly corroborated his claim, coming forward claiming to have seen a crocodilian at a nearby lake.
Mr Collings said: “I am 46 years old and have been a birdwatcher for over 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this, other than a crocodile or alligator.
“It walked like it was rigid. It moved slow, but too fast to photograph it by the time I realised what I thought it was.”
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