Alligator snapping turtle
| Diet | Fishes, small turtles, crayfish and molluscs |
|---|---|
| Size | Length: Up to 31.5 inches (80 cm); common length 26 inches (66 cm) |
| Type | Reptiles |
| Range | Mississippi River basin South of Illinois; rivers and lakes from Texas to Northern Florida |
| Habitat | River systems, lakes and wetlands |
About the Alligator snapping turtle
The alligator snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle species in North America, yet also one of the best camouflaged.
Did you know?
- A hefty example of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America, our alligator snapping turtle weighs over 100 pounds.
- The alligator snapping turtle sits still with its mouth open, waiting for prey. Its pink “worm lure” tongue fools fish into swimming inside.
- While not endangered at a national level, the alligator snapping turtle is considered endangered regionally by the Indiana and Illinois Departments of Natural Resources.
IUCN Red List Conservation Status
Gone fishing
Alligator snappers let their food come to them. A turtle sits with jaws agape, flexing a secret weapon: a wriggling pink filament on the tongue that looks like a juicy worm. When a fish, frog, aquatic bird, rodent, or smaller turtle is lured in, an alligator snapper's baited trap snaps shut with enough force to lift the turtle off the bottom of its habitat. Shedd's alligator snapper has learned to come to a feeding station—just like the whales and dolphins do. He can also crawl onto a scale to be weighed, taking part in his own wellness care.
Protected in Illinois
Alligator snapping turtles have been hunted for meat to the point that they are scarce or gone in much of their historic range in the southeastern United States. Destruction of their wetland habitats has made it even harder for these slow-moving, prehistoric-looking animals to survive. The species is now protected in many states, including Illinois, the northernmost tip of its range.
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