when was the alligator snapping turtle discovered

What is the largest alligator snapping turtle ever found?

Though not verified, a 183 kg (403 lb) alligator snapping turtle was found in Kansas in 1937, but the largest verifiable one is debatable.

What happened to the alligator snapping turtle in Oregon?

In October 2013, one was found in the Prineville Reservoir in Oregon. It was captured and euthanized by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which considers alligator snapping turtles to be an invasive species.

Is the alligator snapping turtle an endangered species?

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?

Is there an alligator snapping turtle in Kansas?

It is designated as "in need of conservation" in Kansas. In October 2013, one was found in the Prineville Reservoir in Oregon. It was captured and euthanized by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which considers alligator snapping turtles to be an invasive species. This one was the first found in the state.

Who first discovered the alligator snapping turtle?

Chris PhillipsChris Phillips made the discovery. He is an Illinois Natural History Survey herpetologist. The turtle he found was at least 18 years old.

When was the first alligator snapping turtle discovered?

This species was first discovered in the early 1990s by Steve Irwin, the late Crocodile Hunter, and his father, Bob Irwin. The first specimen was then collected and described by Australian herpetologist John Cann, who named it Elseya irwini after its discoverers.

How long has alligator snapping turtles been around?

The snapping turtle family, Chelydridae, evolved in North America and has haunted our wetlands almost unchanged for nearly 90 million years. Ancestors spread to Eurasia about 40 million years ago and then disappeared from that continent in the late Pliocene, about two million years ago.

How old is the oldest alligator snapping turtle?

150 years oldThe oldest snapping turtle ever recorded was an alligator snapping turtle named Thunder that was estimated to be 150 years old when it passed away in 2016. Thunder lived at the Newport Aquarium, near Cincinnati. Her age was estimated after she was found near a seafood market in Louisiana in the early 1990s.

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 turtle has the strongest bite?

Snapping turtles are most well-known for their strong bites. Common snapping turtles have an average bite force of about 209 Newtons of force, while alligator snapping turtles have a little less forceful bite, averaging about 158 Newtons of force, Mental Floss(Opens in a new window) reports.

What's the largest turtle ever found?

The largest leatherback turtle ever recorded is a male found dead on the beach at Harlech, Gwynedd, on 23 September 1988. It measured 2.91 m (9 ft 5½ in) in total length over the carapace, 2.77 m (9 ft) across the front flippers and weighed 961.1 kg (2,120 lb).

What's the biggest 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. This massive turtle was weighed at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago in 1999 prior to being sent to Tennessee Aquarium on breeding loan.

What is the largest turtle?

The leatherbackThe leatherback is the largest living sea turtle. (NMFS Permit #1557-03). Weighing in at between 550 and 2,000 pounds with lengths of up to six feet, the leatherback is a big turtle! Leatherback sea turtles can be distinguished from other species of sea turtle by its lack of a hard shell or scales.

Is a turtle a dinosaur?

Turtles are reptiles, too and that alone provides a connection to our huge reptiles from millions of years ago, the dinosaurs. Although not as closely related as birds are to dinosaurs, the turtles still have a distant connection to dinosaurs.

How big is a 80 year old snapping turtle?

Alligator Snapping Turtle Growth ChartAgeCarapace LengthWeight40 years old16 to 26 inches++46 pounds (female)50 years old16 to 26 inches++64 pounds80 years old16 to 26 inches++100 pounds100 years old16 to 26 inches++125 to 175 pounds (male)7 more rows

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.

Where do alligator snapping turtles originate?

Alligator snapping turtles are native to the southern United States. They are found in rivers and streams that feed into the Gulf of Mexico. Their range stretches from Iowa, west into Texas, and east into Georgia and northern Florida.

How many alligator snapping turtles are left?

"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.

How much is a alligator snapping turtle worth?

The price of a snapping turtle can be as low as $30 and rise up to $6000. Usually, the baby common snapping turtles and alligator snapping turtles cost $30 and $40, respectively. You might have to pay $6000 when you shop for an exclusive species of snapping turtle.

Why is it called alligator snapping turtle?

The alligator snapping turtle is given its common name because of its immensely powerful jaws and distinct ridges on its shell that are similar in appearance to the rough, ridged skin of an alligator.

Why are alligator snapping turtles called dinosaurs?

Alligator snapping turtles are sometimes described as dinosaur-like because of their spiky shells and primitive-looking faces. They have three pointed ridges along their shells that run from head to tail. Unlike all other species of snapping turtle, this one has eyes on the sides of its head.

How much does an alligator snapping turtle weigh?

The alligator snapping turtle is the largest species of freshwater turtle. Males typically weigh between 155 and 175 pounds (70 and 80 kilograms). 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.

How long do snapping turtles live?

Adults mate in the spring and females lay eggs two months later. The eggs hatch after 100 to 140 days. The incubation temperature of the nest determines the gender of the offspring—females develop in warmer temperatures and males develop in cooler temperatures. The newly hatched turtles are similar to the adults in appearance. Eggs and juveniles are consumed by fish, raccoons, and birds, but the only predator of fully grown adults is humans. Reproductive maturity is reached at 11 to 13 years. The turtle’s typical lifespan in the wild is between 11 and 45 years, but captive alligator snapping turtles have lived to 70 years of age.

How does a turtle's tongue attract fish?

Their specially adapted tongue allows them to catch prey with little work—a lure-like projection of the tongue attracts curious fish that swim right into the turtle’s mouth. To attract an unsuspecting victim, this turtle will lay on the bottom of the riverbed and open his jaws to reveal what looks like a delicious bright red wriggling worm, luring prey by fiendishly twitching this appendage back and forth. A fish that gets duped by the turtle’s tongue will swim right into the range of the hungry predator’s jaws.

How long do sea turtles stay underwater?

They are almost exclusively aquatic, and tend to stay submerged and motionless for so long that algae begins to grow on their shells. They can go 50 minutes before needing to surface for a gulp of air. Except for egg-laying females, these turtles almost never come on land.

How do turtles search for prey?

They can also actively search for prey by tasting chemicals in the water that are indicative of a particular species. This way, even when their prey is hiding in the sediment, they can still sense them.

How long do solitary reptiles hold their breath?

These solitary reptiles spend much of their time in the water—even capable of holding their breath for 40 to 50 minutes. They venture onto land to nest with females. Correlated with a solitary lifestyle, there is little structure and no parental care to their young.

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), ...

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.

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).

Who verified that persons have had their fingers severed away cleanly?

Pritchard (1989) verified that persons have had their fingers severed away cleanly; additionally, he demonstrated that the jaws of M. temminckii are formidable enough to break completely through the handles of the "flimsier" variety of brooms sold in modern supermarkets.

When was Gary's catalog of shield reptiles published?

Webb, R. G. 1995. The date of publication of Gary's Catalogue of Shield Reptiles. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 1 (4):322-323.

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.

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).

What is the diet of an alligator snapping turtle?

The diet of the alligator snapping turtle primarily consists of different plants and animals such as fish, musk turtles, and acorns (Pritchard 1992).

Is it illegal to take a snapping turtle in Florida?

Mortality rates slowed in the 1970s in Florida when the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (now the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) enacted rules to limit the take of alligator snapping turtles. Presently, under Rule 68A-27.005 of the Florida Administrative Code, it is illegal to take, possess, ...

Is it illegal to sell an alligator snapping turtle?

Presently, under Rule 68A-27.005 of the Florida Administrative Code, it is illegal to take, possess, or sell the alligator snapping turtle, as it is a protected species. It could take decades for the alligator snapping turtle to recover from the pre-1970 overharvesting.

Is the alligator snapping turtle endangered?

The alligator snapping turtle is protected as a State Species of Special Concern by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule . The alligator snapping turtle is currently under review for Federal listing by the USFWS.

Why did Phillips pull the turtle out of the water?

It was because the water is so murky, Phillips had no way of knowing that he was grabbing the bigger turtle and not the smaller one that was so close that it was ultimately pulled out of the water in the same spot.

Did Phillips find a turtle?

However it got there, before it was found by Phillips it found at least one other turtle. The scientists know that because on the day Phillips reached down and grabbed the female turtle he thought he was reaching down for a smaller male turtle that has been wearing a radio transmitter ever since scientists released it into the same creek at least a year ago.

How did the alligator snapping turtle die?

The turtle was only a "minimal" threat to humans and likely would have died either by freezing or starvation had it not been picked up by local animal control. The DGILF said that this was likely a young turtle, because this species of alligator snapping turtle can grow to over 200 pounds.

Why did people dump turtles in the wild?

"Obviously, this was somebody's pet that they probably had for a long time, and they probably just got tired of it, moved, outgrew whatever housing it had, or whatever reason, and then, like most people do with their pet turtles, they take them down to the local pond or park and illegally dump them," Kleopfer told Newsweek. "This has become a chronic problem throughout many urban areas with pet turtles. People have them for a certain amount of time, and then they get bored with them, and they just dump them.

Why are turtles banned as pets?

The pointed to the red-eared slider as an example of a turtle that was once a popular pet, but an FDA ruling in 1975 banned the keeping of turtles with a 4-inch or less shell-length, because children were getting salmonella poisoning. "Another unfortunate consequence of the pet trade is the releasing of turtles into the wild by well-meaning pet owners," DGILF wrote in the Facebook post about the turtle.

Where is Lord Fairfax's turtle?

The turtle has since been named Lord Fairfax and has found a new, permanent home at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk and will be part of a new exhibit. While Lord Fairfax found a new home, most animals aren't as fortunate.

Where do red-eared sliders live?

While they're not necessarily native to Virginia, red-eared sliders have now established a population in Virginia and in many places outside of their lower Mississippi River Valley point of origin . "Before you purchase a pet, regardless if it's a dog, cat, turtle, bird, fish or whatever it is, do your homework.

Was the turtle released into the wild?

J.D. Kleopfer, state herpetologist with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, told Newsweek that the turtle was probably a pet illegally released into the wild after the owner grew tired of it.

Description

Diet

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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). In Florida, this species can be found in the Panhandle and Big Bend regions, from the Escambia River east to t...

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Conservation

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