Snapping Turtle

Jaws of steel

Snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) are freshwater turtles that live in the Americas. There are 2 species: the Alligator snapping turtle and the Common snapping turtle.

The Alligator snapping turtle is the largest of the North American freshwater turtles. It may be up to 60 cm long and weigh 100 kg.

Snapping Turtles have large heads which cannot be withdrawn into the small shell. They rely on their strong jaws for defense and can bite hard if disturbed – they are more than capable of biting a person’s fingers off!. They live in stagnant ponds, swamps and slow-running rivers. Since the Alligator Snapping Turtle lives mainly on fish, it is slaughtered by fishermen and is now on the endangered list.

Prehistoric fisherman
The alligator snappers look more like a dinosaur than a turtle. While adult common snappers have almost smooth shells, those of the alligator snapping turtle have clearly visible 3 ridges. Another distinctive feature that this species possesses is a reddish fleshy worm-like lure at the bottom of its mouth. Lying still at the bottom with its mouth wide open, the alligator snapper wiggles the lure to attract fish. When a fish enters its mouth to investigate the worm, the turtle slams the jaws closed and swallows it.