Alligator Snapping Turtle

Imagine a turtle that looks like it stepped out of a dinosaur movie! That's the Alligator Snapping Turtle. It has a super strong, hooked beak, a spiky shell that looks like a volcano, and a long, thick tail.

Its eyes are small and beady, and its skin is rough and bumpy. These turtles are like living fossils, meaning they haven't changed much for millions of years. They are the biggest freshwater turtles in North America and can live for a very, very long time!

These amazing turtles love to swim in slow-moving rivers, muddy lakes, and swampy areas. You can find them in the southeastern United States, from states like Florida all the way up to states like Kansas and Missouri. They like to hide at the bottom of the water, often under logs or in deep holes they dig. They are mostly found in freshwater, so you won't see them swimming in the ocean!

Alligator Snapping Turtles are carnivores, which means they only eat meat. They are also very patient hunters! They lie very still at the bottom of the water with their mouths open.

Inside their mouth, they have a little pink, worm-like lure that wiggles. Small fish think it's a tasty snack and swim right into the turtle's mouth! Then, SNAP!

They also eat other things like fish, frogs, snakes, and even smaller turtles.

These turtles are HUGE! They can weigh as much as a grown-up person, sometimes even more, and their shells can be as wide as a dinner plate. They are also incredibly strong, with a bite that can snap a broomstick in half!

Because they are so tough and live in hard-to-reach places, they can live for a very long time, sometimes over 100 years. That's longer than your great-great-grandparents have been alive!