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Taken at Snapper Point in Munmorah State Park, NSW, Australia.
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Copyright © Paul Hollins. All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my explicit written permission.
Snapping Turtle along Nature Walk at Dolly Parton's "MY People's" Senior Activity Center in Sevierville, TN.
the dogs found this one wed evening, it was almost dark. I didnt want to mess with it in the dark!! the next day we found him trying to sneak into our pond but was caught on the wrong side of a fence. I didnt want him in the pond and worry that he might bite one of the dogs, so I caught him with a landing net and took him to the river for a better place to live. he just fit into the net, shell front to back was about 15 inches
T.J's so proud of his largest fish he'd caught earlier that morning while kayak fishing off the Coastline.
Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) - Walworth County, Wisconsin, USA
The lake that I mentioned a few photos prior, that had the largest population of painted turtles I have seen, also seems to have some giants lurking in it. This turtle is the largest common snapper I recall ever seeing. I was sitting around watching painted turtles climb back onto logs they had jumped from when I approached and noticed some movement underneath the waters surface. It turned out to be this enormous turtle making its way into shallow water (probably to bask in the shallows). Unfortunately I wasn't able to get any full body shots and only got portraits like this one, as the turtle didn't stick around for long when it realized I was sitting on the bank. This wasn't the only giant about, at the same lake I saw 3 other large snappers and although impressive none of them compared to this remarkable individual.
These turtles are omnivores and eat a surprising amount of vegetation, they will also scavenge if given the opportunity. Nevertheless they are formidable predators as well, feeding on pretty much anything they can swallow. Including smaller turtles, invertebrates, frogs, fish, and even waterfowl! Judging from how many painted turtles were sharing this lake with this beast, I'd be surprised if young painted turtles weren't atleast occasional snacks. And judging from the size I wouldn't be shocked to learn that a few ducklings met their fate in those jaws either.