Mobile manhole cover

Common snapping turtle. She was making her way across the golf course, from the creek to the big pond. As a rough guess, I'd say she weighed about 50-60lbs. -- she's a big girl, but she's still got room to get much bigger if she stays out of trouble.

 

Despite the breed's fearsome reputation, she was quite polite. These turtles are unable to retreat fully into their shells and are all but defenseless on land (though they're devils in the water), so they tend to get "snappy" if provoked.

 

But this one allowed me to get close, lie down beside her, and take her picture from several angles. Then she went on her merry way.

Despite the breed's fearsome reputation, she was quite polite. These turtles are unable to retreat fully into their shells and are all but defenseless on land (though they're devils in the water), so they tend to get "snappy" if provoked.

 

But this one allowed me to get close, lie down beside her, and take her picture from several angles. Then she went on her merry way, and I went mine.

Done