Alligator snapping turtle

Macrochelys temminckii

Reptilia · Testudines · Chelydridae

Fig. 1. Alligator snapping turtle

Fig. 2. Range

Length or height	Shell up to about 80 cm
Weight	Up to about 80 kg; most 20-70 kg
Food	Fish lured with its tongue, mussels, nuts
Lifespan	About 45-100 years (est.)
Society	Solitary
Habitat	freshwater
Range	North America
Wild or tame	Wild

It lies still with its mouth open and wiggles a pink, worm-shaped flap on its tongue to lure fish inside. Three ridges run down its shell like a dinosaur back. Florida's panhandle rivers west of the Suwannee hold this species.

Observe: Look for the three spiked ridges.

Modern data

Status today

VUVulnerable Proposed threatened (2021; verify) status to verify

Conservation	Vulnerable. Commercial harvest in the 20th century emptied many rivers; Florida bans taking it.
Keeper's note	Daily checks of appetite, movement and behavior; enrichment that changes from day to day.
Kingdom · phylum	Animalia · Chordata
Genus	Macrochelys

Check the record: IUCN Red List · GBIF · FWC species profiles

See it elsewhere in the museum

WVCK2N

Same order: Testudines

Alligator snapping turtle

Status today

See it elsewhere in the museum

Same order: Testudines

Green sea turtle

Loggerhead sea turtle

Common snapping turtle

Suwannee alligator snapping turtle