Common Snapping Turtle

The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a large freshwater turtle native to a range stretching from southeastern Canada through the Rocky Mountains to Florida. On land it is combative and quick to strike with its powerful jaws and highly mobile head and neck, but in water it is typically docile and prefers to flee or hide rather than fight. It is omnivorous, hunting invertebrates, fish, frogs, birds, and small mammals as an ambush predator while also eating carrion and aquatic vegetation. The species is long-lived, with mark-recapture studies suggesting some individuals reach over 100 years of age, and it is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN even though Canada lists it as a species of special concern.