Found primarily in waters of the southern United States, the alligator snapping turtle is much larger but less aggressive than its cousin, the common snapping turtle which is native to streams and ponds from South America to Canada. Growing to a maximum length of 32 inches the average is about 26 inches with the normal adult weighing about 175 pounds. The heaviest alligator snapping turtle ever officially recorded is 236 pounds for one located in a suburban Chicago zoo. A report of the capture of a 403-pounder is generally considered to be a “fish” story.

image via wikipedia

The reptile’s shell resembles the hide of an alligator and is often algae-covered. Only nesting females emerge from the water and only to lay their eggs. She will lay up to 50 eggs and after 100 to 140 days, depending on soil temperature, hatchlings will emerge. No one knows how long the alligator turtle will live in the wild–some speculate up to 150 years– in zoos, up to 70 years–as household pets rarely longer than 20 years.

Their diet consists mainly of fish but they will also eat snakes and, on occasion, other turtles. Inside their mouths is a worm-shaped appendage used to lure fish. They will lie perfectly still, mouth agape, while this “bait” imitates a worm. When a fish takes the bait, the jaw of the world’s second strongest bite strength of any animal in the world snaps shut. In captivity they will eat any type of meat offered.

image via wikipedia

When I was growing up it fell to a friend of mine to provide his rather large family with turtle for fying and soup. He was nicknamed Snapper (Snap, for short) and his prey was the common snapping turtle. The method he used was called fingering and I knew of no one else who practiced it. He would lie prone at creekside, lower his arm into the water and reach his hand under the soapstone ledges until he found a turtle to snatch out. He caught many turtles this way. Conversely, many turtles caught Snap–so many that he lost the use of two fingers on his right hand.

Because the alligator snapping turtle grows so large they don’t make very good pets although they are easily found in the exotic trade (illegal in California, maybe others). Unlike the common snapper, the gator turtle is not prone to biting unless provoked. Then it has the ability to amputate a human finger.

(small 45 pound specimin)
image by wikipedia

The biggest threat to the alligator snapping turtle is its vulnerabilty to humans from hunting and loss of habitat. Abandoned trot lines kill hundreds each year. The federal government has declared the reptile to be a threatened species and several states have listed it as endangered.