ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE
• Latin name: Macroclemys temmincki
• Size: Upper shell can be more than 26 inches long
• Record weight: 219 pounds
• Habitat: Deep-water rivers, lakes, sloughs; occasionally found in brackish waters
• Range: East Texas to Florida panhandle; north to Iowa and Indiana
• Characteristics: Largest freshwater turtle in the world; has pink, worm-like structure on its tongue used as “fishing lure” to attract prey; massive head with strongly hooked beak; very long tail; carapace is gray or brown and serrated.
• Source: The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles & Amphibians
There is a much more ferocious looking photo on the front page of the paper. Weird looking thing!
When living in Southern Illinois, I remember occasionally finding sanppers migrating from pond to pond during spells of heavy rain. The trick to handling them is to poke them with a broomstick or somesuch thing a couple of times. Since they are cold blooded, their "batteries" are only good for about 5 or six "snaps". After that, they run out of energy and are lots safer to handle.
The first couple of "snaps" are tremendously fast though. A person or dog could easily lose a finger, paw, or nose.