Snapping turtles - Cute, but feisty!

The Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers flow through some pretty developed areas, so you might be surprised to learn what sort of wildlife we have right in our backyards!

This little guy (or lady!) was hanging out by the wetlands near Puffer Pond at Assabet River NWR.  This turtle is a snapping turtle, and you can tell right away that it's a snapping turtle by its shell. Snapping turtles have ridges on and serrated (toothed) edges on their top shell, called the carapace. The ridges are often more evident on younger turtles, like this one here. Snapping turtles have a wide natural range in the United States, extending from the East coast as far west as Montana!  They can also be found even farther west in California, Oregon, and Washington but they didn't naturally occur there. The United States Geological Society calls them "native transplants" because they are naturally found in this country, just not in those states.  Check out this cool interactive map to see where they live!

 

Unlike other turtles you may be used to seeing, snapping turtles don't usually bask on sunny rocks or logs. They are very adaptable though, and frequently go on overland excursions, looking for food or a new watery habitat. They are generalized omnivores, which means that they will eat pretty much anything they can get their beaks on. You can see from the photo above that snapping turtles have beak-like mouths, which helps them grab their prey. They will eat invertebrates, plants, carrion, frogs, fish, and sometimes even small birds!

Anything that wanders too close is fair game, including your fingers! So always be careful if you come across a snapping turtle.  You should always respect wildlife when you come across it, but especially respect animals that could hurt you. You would be most likely to come across a snapping turtle when it is on land, and that is where it is most aggressive. They cannot pull their heads and legs into their shell as a defense, so they must take action to protect themselves. Snapping turtles got their name because they will extend their neck and lunge at a threat while snapping and biting at them. We typically think of turtles as being very slow-moving creatures, but snapping turtles can move quickly! They have long necks and strong beaks so they can reach farther than you might expect. 

Female snapping turtles lay their eggs during the spring and summer in the soil or in piles of vegetation, including muskrat and beaver lodges. Hatchling turtles are only the size of ping pong balls and their nests can be some distance from the water - so watch where you step! The little turtles need to make it to the water quickly so they can find food and stay safe.

 

This turtle is relatively small, only about six inches long, but they can grow to be up to 12 or 18 inches!