Since the conversion of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal from a chemical weapons manufacturing facility to one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in the United States began, things have taken on a peaceful timbre. So when reports streamed in about a sinister reptilian menace lurking in the waters of normally tranquil Lake Ladora, naturally it was cause for concern.

"Over the years, we have received numerous reports from anglers, completely unrelated to each other, regarding a suspicious alligator-like animal in Lake Ladora," said Stephanie Landolt, refuge law enforcement officer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Arsenal.

Landolt remained skeptical, however, figuring the creature was "just a one of the big northern pike."

"You know how anglers are," she said. "They like to tell fish stories."

But then she spotted the creature herself one Sunday evening

This "thing," rumored to be a daunting caiman (a species of crocodile), turned out to be nothing more than an innocuous, albeit very large, turtle. "Judging by her size, and the amount of algae on her shell, she's pretty ancient," added Landolt.

Landolt quickly snatched her camera phone and took a picture of the Arsenal's very own version of the Loch Ness Monster. "You'll see her tail cross one of the tracks in the road and her head hang over the other track. Talk about a huge reptile!"

Although this fabled and much ballyhooed brute turned out to be nothing more than a rather large, geriatric shell-dweller, her size impresses nevertheless. "My guess as to the size of her is about four feet long," said Landolt.

So, the next time you're at the Arsenal's Lake Ladora catching and releasing fish to your heart's content, when you see what appears to be a malevolent caiman, take heart. You'll know it's nothing more than the Arsenal's resident Loch Ness imposter.