Species Fact Profile: Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)

Alligator Snapping Turtle

Macrochelys temminckii (Troost, 1835)

Range:  Rivers, Lakes, Swamps

Habitat:  Southeastern United States

Diet:  Fish, Frogs, Snakes, Aquatic Invertebrates, Turtles

Social Grouping: Solitary

Reproduction: Mates in spring, nest near water edge with 8-50 eggs, incubation 100-140 days, sex determined by incubation temperature (moderate temperatures result in males, extremes result in females), sexually mature at about 12 years of age

Lifespan:  45 Years (Wild), Up to 70 Years (Captivity)

Conservation Status: IUCN Vulnerable, CITES Appendix III

·         One of world’s largest freshwater turtles: up to 80cm long, up to 113kg weight; unverified reports of turtles much larger (up to 180kg) exist

·         Carapace is covered with three pronounced ridges (often has algae growing on it for camouflage); neck, head, and (extremely long) tail covered with tubercles

·         Spend almost all of lives in water (rarely bask), generally only nesting females come on to land

·        Actively forages by night but “sits and waits” by day; the tip of tongue has a small, pink projection resembling a worm, used to lure prey into the turtle’s mouth

·         Good sense of smell, can sense presence of smaller turtles buried in the mud

·         Adults have no natural predators; eggs are vulnerable to raccoons, skunks, and other nest raiders

·         Declined due to over-collection for meat (protection varies from state to state), also threatened by habitat loss and water pollution

·         Some US states outside of the species range prohibit the possession of alligator snapping turtles, fearing they could become an invasive species