Minnesota Seasons - common snapping turtle


Conservation Status	IUCN Red List	LC - Least Concern

	NatureServe	N5 - Secure S3 - Vulnerable

	Minnesota	delisted

Occurrence	Common
Habitat	Lakes, ponds and marshes, streams and rivers
Lifespan	30 to 47 years
Size	8″ to 18″

Identification	This is the largest turtle species in Minnesota. The tail is almost as long as the upper shell (carapace).

Similar Species

Food	Opportunistic feeders. Plant matter, carrion, and any living thing.

Life Cycle

Behavior

Distribution			Sources: 7, 11, 14, 24, 29, 72.

Comments	Conservation Status High levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found in common snapping turtles in the Mississippi River in 1983. In 1984 the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) listed it as a special concern species. In 2013 it was removed from the list. Subspecies Three subspecies have been described in the past. Two have been raised to full species and the third is now considered a synonym. There are currently no subspecies recognized.

Taxonomy	Order:	Testudines (turtles)
	Suborder:	Cryptodira (hidden-necked turtles)
	Superfamily:	Testudinoidea
	Family:	Chelydridae (snapping turtles)

Synonyms	Chelydra emarginata Chelydra lacertina Chelydra laticarinata Chelydra osceola Chelydra sculpta Chelydra serpentina osceola Chelydra serpentina serpentina Devisia mythodes Testudo serpentaria Testudo serpentina

Common Names	common snapping turtle North American snapping turtle snapping turtle


Visitor Photos

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Kirk Nelson

Snapping Turtle, Carver Park Reserve Snapping turtle next to the bike path


Fort Snelling State Park. On the trail along the west side of Snelling Lake; I gave it a wide berth.


Nerstrand Big Woods State Park


Lynn Rubey

A young Snapping Turtle along the side of the auto tour road in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge, it didn't try to escape from me. So I was able to get more pictures of it.


A front view or face to face with the Snapping Turtle. I gently picked it up and turned it over, it just lied there while I took my photos then turned it over. I stood guard while vehicles drove on by. Then I gently carried it to the side of the road and set it in the grass. I stopped on my way out to check on it and it was no longer there.


A photo of the front foot.


A photo of its tail and hind foot.


This Common Snapping Turtle was sun bathing on rocks across from the docks in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. Its' head was up when I approcahed the dock then it lowered it then raised it again it seemed to ejoy the warm sunny day.


Dan W. Andree

Snapping Turtle... I came across this snapping turtle on a county highway between Twin Valley and Ada, Mn. on May 28, 2019. It just sat on the road and I seen a couple vehicles go around it. I pulled into an approach and decided to try get it off the road so it wouldn’t get ran over. I figured it could possibly be a female heading to a certain spot to lay its eggs. Though not sure. Anyway all the while watching for any vehicles coming I gave a slight nudge to the turtle near its tail end. I just tried to slowly turn around toward me. I knew not to try pick one up and not having any luck getting it to move looked in the ditch and found a sturdy stick. I still had a time getting it off the road and at times pushed it a little with the stick. Anyway got it off the road into the ditch it was heading to. Snapping turtles kind of remind me of a reptile of back in the dinosaur days.


Vinje, Shari

Sunning itself.


Jane Johnsen



Jenny Stevens



MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos

Camera


Slideshows

	Snapping Turtle Andree Reno Sanborn

	About Chelydra serpentina NH Conservation Status: Not listed State Rank Status: Widespread and secure. Distribution: Throughout state, less common in northern New Hampshire. Description:A large turtle measuring 8-14 inches and weighing up to 70 pounds. A rough carapace ranges in color form black to light brown. The head is large and the tail is long with a distinct saw-toothed edge. Commonly Confused Species: Juveniles may be confused with musk turtles and wood turtles. Habitat: Any permanent water body such as lakes, ponds, swamps, bogs, streams, and rivers, especially aquatic habitats with muddy bottoms and abundant submerged logs and aquatic vegetation. Use terrestrial habitats while searching for appropriate nesting sites and traveling among wetland habitats. Life History: Lays 20-40 eggs in soil banks or sand and gravel piles in fields or lawns and may be several hundred feet or more from water. Hibernates in mud bottom or under logs or other submerged debris, sometimes communally. Conservation Threats: Water pollution, road mortality, habitat loss. source: http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Wildlife/Nongame/turtles/snapping_turtle.htm

	Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) Bill Keim

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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Other Videos

	The Snapping Turtle (Chelydridae: Chelydra serpentina) Locomotion Carl Barrentine

	About Uploaded on Dec 26, 2009 A contemplative look at the Common Snapping Turtle, which is a surprisingly common but seldom seen species that is found in rivers, ponds, and lakes in the upper midwest of the United States. Specimens shown here were photographed in North Dakota during the summer of 2009.

	Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) WisCBMnetwork

	About Published on Mar 13, 2013 No description available.

	Snapping Turtle (Chelydridae: Chelydra serpentina) on Road Carl Barrentine

	About Uploaded on May 30, 2010 Photographed near the Rydell NWR, Minnesota (27 May 2010).

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Visitor Sightings

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		This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location.

Lynn Rubey 10/28/2019	Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge A front view or face to face with the Snapping Turtle. I gently picked it up and turned it over, it just lied there while I took my photos then turned it over. I stood guard while vehicles drove on by. Then I gently carried it to the side of the road and set it in the grass. I stopped on my way out to check on it and it was no longer there.

Lynn Rubey 8/9/2019	Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge This Common Snapping Turtle was sun bathing on rocks across from the docks in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge. Its' head was up when I approcahed the dock then it lowered it then raised it again it seemed to ejoy the warm sunny day.

Kirk Nelson 6/8/2019	Location: Carver Park Reserve Snapping turtle next to the bike path

Shari Vinje 6/4/2019	Location: Esko, MN. My driveway near Midway River and Midway Creek. Sunning itself.

Dan W. Andree 5/28/2019	Location: between Twin Valley and Ada, Mn I came across this snapping turtle on a county highway between Twin Valley and Ada, Mn. on May 28, 2019. It just sat on the road and I seen a couple vehicles go around it. I pulled into an approach and decided to try get it off the road so it wouldn’t get ran over. I figured it could possibly be a female heading to a certain spot to lay its eggs. Though not sure. Anyway all the while watching for any vehicles coming I gave a slight nudge to the turtle near its tail end. I just tried to slowly turn around toward me. I knew not to try pick one up and not having any luck getting it to move looked in the ditch and found a sturdy stick. I still had a time getting it off the road and at times pushed it a little with the stick. Anyway got it off the road into the ditch it was heading to. Snapping turtles kind of remind me of a reptile of back in the dinosaur days.

E. Martell 9/2/2018	Location: east shore of Clark Lake, Nisswa 30' up on a bluff above water's edge. 1 and 3/8" shell length, no sign of where it came from.

Carol Naber 9/11/2017	Location: Rice Creek North Regional Corridor, east of Prairie Ridge Dr. where Rice Creek Fields lead to Rice Creek total of 4 approximately 1 inch snapping turtles observed 9/10 and 9/11 on black top walk path. Slightly sand covered and headed toward Rice Creek.

Kirk Nelson 5/29/2017	Location: Fort Snelling State Park On the trail along the west side of Snelling Lake; I gave it a wide berth.

Jenny Stevens 7/6/2015	Location: Inver Grove Heights

Kirk Nelson 5/31/2014	Location: Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Kirk Nelson Fall, 2013	Bass Ponds in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge




MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

Avon Hills Forest SNA, North Unit Cannon River Trout Lily SNA Chamberlain Woods SNA Crow Wing State Park Dodge Nature Center Gneiss Outcrops SNA Helen Allison Savanna SNA Hyland Lake Park Reserve Lake Bronson State Park Lebanon Hills Regional Park Maplewood State Park Minnesota Valley NWR, Wilkie Unit Myre-Big Island State Park Sibley State Park William O’Brien State Park

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common snapping turtle

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