9 Where Do You Find Alligator Snapping Turtles
- The alligator snapping turtle can be found in rivers, lakes, backwater swamps, and periodically in brackish water systems.
- The alligator snapping turtle ranges from Florida to Texas and north to Illinois.
- The alligator snapping turtle is a freshwater turtle.
- The alligator snapping turtle is a carnivore.
- The alligator snapping turtle can grow to be up to two feet long.
What is the life span of an alligator snapping turtle?
Alligator snapping turtles are among the largest freshwater turtles in the world and can grow to weigh more than 200 pounds with a lifespan of more than 100 years. The turtles are also protected under Louisiana State Law, which makes it illegal to sell or barter for the turtles. Trending.
What is the largest known alligator snapping turtle?
Though not verified, a 183 kg (403 lb) alligator snapping turtle was found in Kansas in 1937, but the largest verifiable one is debatable.
Are alligator snapping turtles on the Endangered Species List?
The alligator snapping turtle, which can be seen in Kentucky, is being proposed to be on the endangered species list by U.S. Fish and Wildlife. FRANKFORT — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list the Alligator Snapping Turtle, which is found in Kentucky and 13 other states, as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Is it legal to catch an alligator snapping turtle?
That depends on where you live. Alligator snapping turtles are somewhat protected throughout their range. In many states, they are not legal to buy, sell or own without a permit. However, it is sometimes legal to hatch them from your own stock. And many states simply ban the sale of locally obtained non-game wildlife.
How far north do alligator snapping turtles live?
It is said that a 400-pound (180-kilogram) alligator snapping turtle was caught in Kansas in 1937, but there isn't sufficient evidence to confirm the claim. Alligator snapping turtles are found exclusively in the United States, from northern Florida to eastern Texas and as far north as Iowa.
Where are alligator snapping turtles located?
Habitat. The alligator snapping turtle can be found in rivers, lakes, backwater swamps, and periodically in brackish water systems (mixture of fresh and salt water) from Florida to Texas and north to Illinois (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).
What states have alligator snapping turtles?
Alligator snapping turtles are found in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. They are also considered rare in Kansas and Indiana and may even be functionally extirpated from those states.
What is the range of a snapping turtle?
After emerging from hibernation, turtles begin feeding and searching for mates. Snapping turtles generally reach maturity at 8 to 10 years and can live up to 40 years or more. They typically occupy home ranges of 4 to 22 acres, depending on the size of the wetland.
What is the largest alligator snapping turtle ever caught?
249 poundsThe largest snapping turtle ever officially recorded was a 16 year old alligator snapping turtle that weighed in at a massive 249 pounds.
How big is a 100 year old snapping turtle?
Found almost exclusively in the rivers, canals, and lakes of the southeastern United States, alligator snappers can live to be 50 to 100 years old. Males average 26 inches in shell length and weigh about 175 pounds, although they have been known to exceed 220 pounds.
What are alligator snapping turtle eggs worth?
Usually, the price of an alligator snapping turtle egg ranges around $250.
Do alligator snapping turtles live in Texas?
Common snappers have no special protections, but the alligator snapping turtle is a threatened species in Texas. If you catch one, it should be returned to its habitat, as close as possible to the spot where it was caught.
Are there alligator snapping turtles in Kansas?
This turtle currently is known in Kansas only from five vouchered specimens collected in the Neosho River, Verdigris River, and Walnut River watersheds in southeastern Kansas between 1885 and 1986.
Are there alligator snapping turtles in North Carolina?
They are not native to the state of North Carolina – so if you ever come across a snapping turtle in NC, it would be the Common Snapping Turtle, a cousin of the Alligator Snapper.
What is a predator of a snapping turtle?
Adult snapping turtles have very few predators but are sometimes attacked by river otters, bears and coyotes. In the southern United States, where their territory overlaps, snapping turtles are preyed upon by American alligators and alligator snapping turtles.
How did the common snapping turtle get to Oregon?
Biologists suspect it was someone's pet and was released because it became too big and unmanageable. The common snapping turtle also was likely brought to Oregon as pets that were released, Barnes said. The department asked that anyone who sees the creature to report it.
Are alligator snapping turtles aggressive?
Thankfully, in the water, both Common and Alligator Snapping Turtles are very docile and will go to great lengths to avoid humans.
Can you eat alligator snapping turtle?
Snapping turtle meat can be delicious if the turtles are cleaned properly, the meat tenderized and prepared with a good recipe.
Are there alligator snapping turtles in New York?
Snapping Turtle: Distribution Adirondack Amphibians & Reptiles: Snapping Turtles occur throughout New York State.
How many alligator snapping turtles are left in the world?
"Alligator snappers are some of the fiercest, wildest creatures in the Southeast," said attorney Elise Bennett in a news release by the Center, "but overexploitation and habitat destruction have put their lives on the line." Around 360,000 alligator snapping turtles live in 12 states.
Where can I find alligator snapping turtles?
Distribution and habitat. The alligator snapping turtle is found primarily in freshwaters of the southeastern United States. It is found from the Florida Panhandle west to East Texas, north to southeastern Kansas, Missouri, southeastern Iowa, western Illinois, southern Indiana, western Kentucky, and western Tennessee.
What is the difference between an alligator and a snapping turtle?
It can be immediately distinguished from the common snapping turtle by the three distinct rows of spikes and raised plates on the carapace, whereas the common snapping turtle has a smoother carapace. M. temminckii is a solid gray, brown, black, or olive-green in color, and often covered with algae. It has radiating yellow patterns around the eyes, serving to break up the outline of the eyes to keep the turtle camouflaged. The eyes are also surrounded by a star-shaped arrangement of fleshy, filamentous "eyelashes".
What is the name of the turtle that lures prey?
Play media. Alligator snapping turtle using its vermiform appendage to lure prey. (Peckham's mimicry) Head of a young alligator snapping turtle.
How long does it take for an alligator snapping turtle to hatch?
Nests are typically excavated at least 50 yards from the water's edge to prevent them from being flooded and drowned. Incubation takes from 100 to 140 days, and hatchlings emerge in the early fall.
How to tell if an alligator snapping turtle is male or female?
In mature specimens, those with a straight carapace length over 30 cm (12 in), males and females can be differentiated by the position of the cloaca from the carapace, and by the thickness of the base of the tail.
Why is the tail of a turtle thicker than the tail of a female turtle?
The base of the tail of the male is also thicker as compared to that of the female because of the hidden reproductive organs. The inside of the turtle's mouth is camouflaged, and it possesses a vermiform (worm-shaped) appendage on the tip of its tongue used to lure fish, a form of aggressive mimicry .
What is the largest freshwater turtle in the world?
M. temminckii is one of the heaviest freshwater turtles in the world. It is the largest freshwater species of turtle in North America. It is often associated with, but not closely related to, the common snapping turtle, which is in the genus Chelydra.
How much does an alligator snapping turtle weigh?
Algae growing on these turtles' backs lends camouflage among the muddy river beds they inhabit. Males can weigh up to 90 kilograms (200 pounds) with a carapace length of up to 80 centimeters (31 inches). Alligator snapping turtles are native to the southern United States.
How many subpopulations of alligator snapping turtles are there?
There are three, genetically distinct subpopulations of alligator snapping turtles. Taking individuals from one or more of these populations could lead to local extirpation, which reduces the overall genetic variability that protects populations from disease outbreaks.
How does agriculture affect snapping turtles?
Agriculture in areas that formerly hosted bottomland hardwood forest and streams also impacts alligator snapping turtles. The conversion of these lands into agricultural fields and commercial developments replaces suitable habitat. Riverside developments usurp the turtles by removing nesting sites. Activities in these areas lead to the degradation of aquatic habitats downstream, because agrochemicals, pesticides, silts and other dissolved solids reach the water and are carried downstream. These added inputs alter the pH, turbidity and flow of water in sites well beyond the reaches of human settlements.
How long do alligator snapping turtles stay submerged?
They can stay submerged for 40 to 50 minutes before needing to surface for air. They are only found in freshwater systems and tend to prefer the deeper beds of large rivers, canals and lakes. However, juveniles may be found in smaller streams. Alligator snapping turtles are primarily carnivorous.
What are the characteristics of an alligator snapping turtle?
Physical Description. The alligator snapping turtle's defining characteristics are its large head, strong jaws and hooked beak. It has a spiked, dark-brown carapace. Alligator snapping turtles have long, narrow tongues equipped with an appendage that looks like a worm to attract prey. Algae growing on these turtles' backs lends camouflage among ...
What is the largest turtle in the world?
Alligator snapping turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in the world. Their heavy heads, strong jaws and hooked beaks give them a prehistoric appearance, and their carapace, or shell, is spiked.
Why are alligator snapping turtles important?
Alligator snapping turtles are apex predators and, because of their position at the top of the food web , play an important role in the ecosystems they inhabit. They act as a check on the populations of the species they consume, such as regulating the prevalence of certain fish.
How old do alligator snappers live?
Found almost exclusively in the rivers, canals, and lakes of the southeastern United States, alligator snappers can live to be 50 to 100 years old. Males average 26 inches in shell length and weigh about 175 pounds, although they have been known to exceed 220 pounds. The much smaller females top out at around 50 pounds.
What is the tongue of an alligator snapper?
Its tongue sports a bright-red, worm-shaped piece of flesh that, when displayed by a motionless turtle on a river bottom, draws curious fish or frogs close enough to be snatched.
What is the largest turtle in the world?
The prehistoric-looking alliga tor snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America and among the largest in the world. With its spiked shell, beaklike jaws, and thick, scaled tail, this species is often referred to as the "dinosaur of the turtle world."
Do snappers have predators?
Adult snappers have no natural predators other than humans, who capture them for their meat and shells, and to sell in the exotic animal trade. A severe reduction in population due to unregulated harvesting and habitat loss has led states to protect them throughout most of their range, and they are listed as a threatened species.
What action is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service taking?
The Service is announcing the proposed listing of the alligator snapping turtle as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and is also proposing a Section 4 (d) rule to provide for its conservation.
What is the alligator snapping turtle?
Known from 14 different states across the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest, the alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America. They get their name from large, powerful jaws that can snap a broom handle in half and shells that resemble the rough, ridged skin of an alligator.
Where does this turtle live?
Alligator snapping turtles are found in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. They are also considered rare in Kansas and Indiana and may even be functionally extirpated from those states.
Why is the Service proposing a threatened listing for the alligator snapping turtle?
The ESA describes two categories of species that need protection: threatened and endangered. An endangered animal or plant is one that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range; a threatened animal or plant is one that is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future.
How did the Service arrive at this finding?
The Service conducted a thorough review of the alligator snapping turtle via a species status assessment (SSA). The SSA report, produced with input from many partners, underwent independent peer and partner review.
What are the threats to the turtle?
Factors affecting the future viability of the turtle include legal and illegal harvest, drowning as a result of by-catch from recreational and commercial fishing, hook ingestion, habitat alteration and nest predation.
How will ESA protections benefit these turtles?
Listing under the ESA provides immediate protection, promotes recovery, and generates greater public awareness about the threats and conservation opportunities. It also inspires actions by diverse partners, including federal, state, Tribal and local agencies, industry, conservation groups, and individuals.
What is an alligator snapping turtle?
The Alligator Snapping Turtle is a massive, highly aquatic turtle that inhabits deep waters, primarily deep rivers with steep banks, but also lakes and swamps (Pritchard, 1989, 1992). For the most part, M. temminckii is a carnivore that feeds primarily on fish, smaller turtles (especially kinosternids), crayfish, and mollusks (mussels and snails), ...
Where is the Snapping Turtle located?
Status: Inexplicably, the Alligator Snapping Turtle found in Washington, D.C., was scheduled to be "relocated" to Roosevelt Island or in waters along the George Washington Parkway, D.C., according to Park Ranger E. Broadbent (in Katz, 1994); still well away from its indigenous range.
How to identify an alligator turtle?
Identification: The Alligator Snapping Turtle is characterized by a very large head and three rows of spiked scutes (enlarged scales or laminae). The rows of spiked scutes usually form three distinct complete or incomplete keeled ridges on the brown carapace (upper shell), which distinguish M. temminckii from the Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) (Behler and King, 1979; Pritchard, 1989; Conant and Collins, 1998). Some of the marginal scutes on the carapace occur in a double row rather than the single row seen in Chelydra (Powell et al., 1998). A strongly hooked beak is present on most, but not all specimens (Pritchard, 1989; Ernst et al., 1994; Conant and Collins, 1998). The tongue has a unique worm-like appendage ("fishing lure") (Obst, 1986; Ernst and Barbour, 1989; Conant and Collins, 1998; Zug et al., 2001). The plastron (lower shell) is relatively small (Pritchard, 1989; Conant and Collins, 1998). Macrochelys temminckii is the largest freshwater turtle in the U.S. reaching a record carapace length of 800 mm (31.5 in), and weight of 113.9 kg (251 lbs) (Pritchard, 1989; Conant and Collins, 1998). The Alligator Snapping Turtle has been illustrated by numerous authorities (Pope, 1939; Carr, 1952; Ernst and Barbour, 1972, 1989; Mount, 1975; Behler and King, 1979; Pritchard, 1979,1989, 1992; Caldwell and Collins, 1981; Smith and Brodie, 1982; Obst, 1986,1998; Alderton, 1988; [Sievert] and Sievert, [1988]; Dundee and Rossman, 1989; Ashton and Ashton, 1991; Carmichael and Williams, 1991; Ernst et al., 1994; Lamar, 1997; Conant and Collins, 1998; Powell et al., 1998; Bartlett and Bartlett, 1999a, b; Behler, 1999; Phillips et al., 1999; Johnson, 2000; Pough et al., 2001; Zug et al., 2001).
What is the name of the turtle that was exploited by alligators?
Sloan, K., and J. E. Lovich. 1995. Exploitation of the alligator snapping turtle, Macroclemys temminckii, in Louisiana: A case study. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 1 (3):221-222.
Do alligator snapping turtles get federal protection?
Macrochelys temminckii does not receive federal protection but does receive some kind of legal protection in various states (Pritchard, 1992; Levell, 1997).
How long can a snapping turtle live?
Some sources indicate that the common snapping turtle may be capable of living over 100 years.
What is an alligator snapper?
The alligator snapper is one of the hallmark ‘ sit and wait ‘ predators.
How much does a baby snapping turtle cost?
Even though baby snapping turtles can sell for as low as $20, after everything we’ve considered, we welcome you to check out our list of the BEST pet turtle species.
What do snapping turtles eat?
Both species primarily eat meat, but the common snapping turtle also eats aquatic plants and roots.
What does a snapper look like?
The common snapper looks more like a ‘regular’ turtle on steroids.
Why do alligators have a snapping turtle's beak?
An alligator snapping turtle’s beak (mouth) is hooked at the end to help them catch live prey and tear away flesh.
What color are snapping turtles?
Common snapping turtles are dark in color and often covered in mud and algae.
Alligator Snapping Turtle vs Common Snapping Turtle: Size
Common snapping turtles are significantly smaller than alligator snapping turtles.
Alligator Snapping Turtle vs Common Snapping Turtle: Appearance
Alligator snapping turtles have ridged shells, while common snapping turtles have smooth ones.
Alligator Snapping Turtle vs Common Snapping Turtle: Tongue
An interesting trait of the alligator snapper is its tongue. They use lingual luring, a tactic where they wiggle their worm-like tongue in order to attract fish to eat. Since alligator snappers don’t move very much, their passive hunting works well for them.
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1 The basics
Ontario is home to a variety of different types of turtles, but alligator snapping turtles are perhaps the most famous. Alligator snapping turtles are large turtles, reaching an average size of two feet in length and weighing around fifty pounds.
2 Do Alligator Snapping Turtles Live in Ontario
Alligator snapping turtles live in many different places around the world. However, the majority of the wild Alligator snapping turtles lives in the United States. Occasionally specimens have been found in southern Canada, but the largest population is found in a swamp close to Glencoe in Ontario, Canada.
3 What Kind of Snapping Turtles Are in Ontario
The snapping turtle is Ontario’s most prehistoric-looking turtle species. The long tail has a series of triangular spikes along the top that are reminiscent of those of a stegosaurus. These spikes help the snapping turtle keep track of its prey, which can include small animals, fish, and even other turtles.
4 Can You Catch Snapping Turtles in Ontario
The Ontario government has announced amendments to the Hunting Regulation that will, among other changes, prohibit the hunting of snapping turtles in the province.
5 Where Can Alligator Snapping Turtles Be Found
The alligator snapping turtle can be found in rivers, lakes, backwater swamps, and periodically in brackish water systems. These turtles live in a wide range of habitats, from the warm, humid south to the colder, drier north.
7 Can Alligator Snapping Turtles Hurt You
Snapping turtles are usually gentle animals, but they can become aggressive if they feel threatened. If you are in the water with a snapping turtle, it is important to stay away from its jaws. These animals can bite unexpectedly, and they may also try to push you out of the water.
8 Why Are Snapping Turtles at Risk in Ontario
Threats such as habitat loss and nest predation are causing snapping turtles to decrease in number in Ontario.
Overview
Distribution and habitat
The alligator snapping turtle is found primarily in freshwaters of the southeastern United States. It is found from the Florida Panhandle west to East Texas, north to southeastern Kansas, Missouri, southeastern Iowa, western Illinois, southern Indiana, western Kentucky, Louisiana, and western Tennessee. Typically, only nesting females venture onto open land.
They are generally only found in bodies of water that flow into the Gulf of Mexico and usually do …
Taxonomy
Although it was once believed that only one extant species exists in the genus Macrochelys, recent studies have shown that there are two species, the other being the Suwannee snapping turtle (M. suwanniensis) of the Suwannee River A third species, the Apalachicola snapping turtle (M. apalachicolae), has been proposed, but is generally not recognized.
The alligator snapping turtle is given its common name because of its immensely powerful jaws …
Description
The alligator snapping turtle is characterized by a large, heavy head, and a long, thick shell with three dorsal ridges of large scales (osteoderms), giving it a primitive appearance reminiscent of some of the plated dinosaurs, most notably Ankylosaurus. It can be immediately distinguished from the common snapping turtle by the three distinct rows of spikes and raised plates on the carapace, wh…
Diet
The alligator snapping turtle is an opportunistic feeder that is almost entirely carnivorous. It relies on both live food caught by itself and dead organisms which it scavenges. In general, it will eat almost anything it can catch. Fishermen have glorified the species' ability to catch fish and to deplete fish populations, whereas in fact it largely targets any abundant and easily caught prey, and rarely has any extensive deleterious effect on fish populations. Its natural diet consists prim…
Reproduction and lifespan
Maturity is reached around 12 years of age. Mating takes place yearly, in early spring in the southern part of its geographic range, and in later spring in the northern part. About two months later, the female builds a nest and lays a clutch of 10–50 eggs. The sex of the young depends on the temperature at which the eggs are incubated. This is called temperature dependent sex determination, and it is used by all turtle species to determine sex. For the alligator snapping turt…
Predation
The alligator snapping turtle is most vulnerable to predators before and shortly after hatching. The eggs can be eaten by birds or mammals. The risk of predation decreases as the turtle gets bigger, so the adult turtle does not have as many predators.
Humans are also a threat to the alligator snapping turtle.
Under human care
The alligator snapping turtle is sometimes captive-bred as a pet and is readily available in the exotic animal trade. Due to its potential size and specific needs, it does not make a particularly good pet for any but the most experienced aquatic turtle keepers.
It prefers to feed on live fish, but will readily feed on other types of meat or leaf…