A man faces animal cruelty charges in suburban Philadelphia after authorities were alerted to online photos of a box turtle that was shot with a gun.

The Bucks County Courier Times reported Saturday that the Bucks County SPCA charged an unnamed 18-year-old, but court records were not posted to the court's database.



SPCA humane officer Nikki Thompson tells the paper the photos on Facebook prompted someone to contact her organization.

District court officials in Warwick Township told the paper the man faces summary charges. If convicted, the offense carries a fine of $50 to $750.



Thompson says box turtles are a native species and it's illegal to shoot them.