Discover the largest snap turtles ever recorded

Snapping turtles are one of the oldest species of turtles in the world, dating back about 200 million years ago – even during the time of the dinosaurs! This species also has a lifespan of over 100 years. These adorable reptiles spend most of their time in freshwater ponds, streams and rivers and can grow to nearly 3 feet in length, reaching over 150 pounds.

But how big can snapping turtles get? We’ll discover the largest turtles ever recorded and see how they compare to other turtles!

History of turtle fishing

Snapping turtles are large freshwater turtles that cannot completely squeeze their head and legs into their shells, and therefore have extremely powerful jaws that they use to defend themselves when snapping, hence their name. However, despite their somewhat intimidating name, they are not particularly dangerous to humans and prefer to retreat if they do not feel threatened.

These adorable turtles are excellent swimmers and are found mainly in freshwater areas of North America. However, there is another smaller population, the Bellinger River snapping turtle, which is endemic to the Bellinger River in Australia.

There are two main types of snapping turtles – the common snapping turtle and the alligator snapping turtle, which is the larger of the two. Common snapping turtles average 8 to 14 inches in length and usually weigh 10 to 35 pounds, while alligator snapping turtles are usually 13 to 32 inches long and weigh between 19 and 176 pounds.

Common snapping turtles are best known for their extremely agile head and neck, which are often described as serpentine, hence their scientific name – Chelidra serpentine – by their snake-like characteristics. As the name suggests, alligator snapping turtles get their name because they look like alligators, and the ridges on their shells are described as those on alligators.

Perhaps one of the most interesting features of common snapping turtles is that during harsh winters they do not breathe for six months while the water is covered with ice. Instead of traditional breathing, they breathe using what is called extrapulmonary breathing. Here they get oxygen by pushing their heads out of the mud so that gas exchange can take place through the membranes of their mouth and pharynx. Although they do not hibernate in the traditional sense of the word, snapping turtles remain in a “sleepy state” during this time. During this time, they consume very little energy and turn off all unnecessary parts of their body.

Largest tortoise ever recorded

The largest snapping turtle ever officially recorded was a 16-year-old alligator snapping turtle that weighed a whopping 249 pounds. This massive turtle was weighed at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago in 1999 and then sent to the Tennessee Aquarium for breeding.

However, there are reports of an even larger turtle catching an alligator found in Kansas in 1937. Although she never officially registered, her weight was rumored to be a whopping 403 pounds!

How are turtles filmed in comparison to other turtles?

Compared to other freshwater turtles, the average snapping turtles are only slightly shorter than the largest, giant soft Yangtze turtle, which can grow up to 39 inches in length. However, at around 220 pounds, they weigh more than the average alligator turtle.

Despite being an impressive size for a freshwater turtle, snapping turtles are still much smaller than sea turtles: leatherback turtles weigh 1,500 pounds on average, and the largest sea turtle ever recorded weighed 2,019 pounds!

Were the ancient snapping turtles even bigger?

Although not much is known about the extinct species of snapping turtles, it is fairly easy to assume that they were much larger than the snapping turtles that exist today. The largest extinct turtle is Archelon the sea turtle, at an impressive 12 feet in length, lived between 66 and 83 million years ago.

However, the second largest was Stupendemis It was a large freshwater turtle that reached 11 feet in length and lived in what is now South America between 5 and 10 million years ago. It is believed that, like the snapping alligator turtle, Stupendemis fed on a mixture of plants and animals and lived at the bottom of freshwater rivers and lakes.

How snapping turtles breed

As a rule, only nesting females go to land, and males prefer to stay safe in the water throughout their life. Females usually leave the water under cover of darkness to find a sandy place for their nest. Once they find a suitable spot, they dig a hole about 6 inches deep and lay 25 to 80 eggs, then refill the hole and return to the water. The female snapping turtles do not look back when they have laid their eggs, do not breastfeed or raise their young.

The time it takes for the eggs to hatch depends on the temperature and can take from 9 to 18 weeks. The sex of the hatched chicks is also determined by the temperature of the nest: males appear in a cooler nest, and females appear in a warmer nest. When they are born, the young are only about 1 inch long and usually head straight for the water immediately. However, in the northernmost areas, chicks of common snapping turtles can remain in the nest for the winter if it is covered with ice, although this poses a great risk to them due to the cold and predators.

Predator or Prey: Are Turtles Threatened?

All snapping turtles are omnivorous and eat a mixture of plants, insects, frogs and fish, although the larger snapping alligator turtles also eat birds, small mammals and reptiles such as snakes and smaller common snapping turtles.

Alligator turtles have a particularly unique method of catching their prey – they sit at the bottom of a stream or pond with their mouths wide open. Surprisingly, their tongue is like a worm, which they use to attract fish, which literally swims right into their mouth.

Because of their size, snapping turtles do not have many predators, although coyotes, black bears, and alligators can sometimes kill adults. On the contrary, the greatest threat comes from birds, foxes, minks and raccoons, which will collect their eggs and young. American frogs, herons, large fish and snakes also pose a threat to chicks that leave the nest. Although snapping turtles do not have many predators, snapping alligator turtles are still classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Fortunately, however, the common snapping turtle is officially considered the least problem.

Bellinger River Snap Turtle – Nearly Extinct in Months

As mentioned, the Bellinger River snapping turtles are a species that is endemic to the Bellinger River in Australia. They are fortunate enough to be alive today, however, as the virus nearly wiped them out in a matter of months.

In 2015, an unknown virus that caused blindness and organ failure wiped out about 90% of the entire population in a few months. The entire population would have perished if rescuers had not rescued the last few healthy turtles and started a captive breeding program. Since then, the chicks have been released back into the river, where they are closely monitored for any signs of disease. They currently number around 200, although they are still in critical condition. However, these determined turtles still hold out despite the odds against them.