Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
It's not easy to be even a snapping turtle, except when you found a perfect fitting stump to sun on.
Only a small percent of snapping turtle eggs hatch and less than 1% of baby snappers make it to adulthood. Baby turtles are actually cute, are 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) in shell length and have many predators. Once they reach a certain size, they only have very few predators, mainly humans. Snapping turtle's life span is respectable 30-40 yrs in wild and they can weigh up to 45 lbs (20kg)!
Regardless of his reputation, aggressive behavior and sharp claws this turtle seems to have encountered some sort of misfortune. He has an open wound on his left front foot and a telltale faint blood trail from climbing up on that log. I hope it is not human caused (fishing hook etc.) and that he has a speedy recovery from his injury.
Snapping turtles are highly aggressive and will fight back ferociously.
Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
It's not easy to be even a snapping turtle, except when you found a perfect fitting stump to sun on.
Only a small percent of snapping turtle eggs hatch and less than 1% of baby snappers make it to adulthood. Baby turtles are actually cute, are 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) in shell length and have many predators. Once they reach a certain size, they only have very few predators, mainly humans. Snapping turtle's life span is respectable 30-40 yrs in wild and they can weigh up to 45 lbs (20kg)!
Regardless of his reputation, aggressive behavior and sharp claws this turtle seems to have encountered some sort of misfortune. He has an open wound on his left front foot and a telltale faint blood trail from climbing up on that log. I hope it is not human caused (fishing hook etc.) and that he has a speedy recovery from his injury.
Snapping turtles are highly aggressive and will fight back ferociously.