Snapping Turtle
(Chelydra serpentine)
Features
- Canada’s largest freshwater turtle reaching average length of 20-36 cm and 4.5-16.0kg
- Large black, olive or brown shells, usually algae-covered
- Tail longer than body with “dinosaur-like” triangular crests along its length
- Hatchlings loonie-size exhibiting darker colouring than adults with pronounced ridges along length of shell
- Spend majority of time hiding beneath soft mud and leaf litter of shallow water bodies and streams with only nose exposed to the surface for air
- Nesting season is early to mid summer, when females lay eggs in sandy or gravelly areas near streams
Status
Special Concern Provincially and Nationally
Range
Extends from Ecuador to Canada. In Canada, occurs from Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia. In Ontario, mainly limited to southern Ontario where its range is decreasing.
Threats
Snapping Turtles naturally take 15-20 years to reach sexual maturity; therefore mortality of even a few adults each year can cause a significant decline in a population. As such, Snapping Turtle populations are vulnerable to threats such as road mortality, hunting and poaching. Other threats include nest predation by raccoons, skunks and foxes, whose numbers are thought to be unnaturally increasing as a result of easily available resources near human settlements (IUCN).
Protection
The Snapping Turtle and its habitat are protected under the following legislation:
- Ontario Endangered Species Act: listed as Special Concern
- Federal Species at Risk Act: listed as Special Concern
- Ontario Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act: Specially Protected Reptile
- Planning Act – Provincial Policy Statement: protects habitat from development and alteration
References
Ministry of Natural Resources: Snapping Turtle
Royal Ontario Museum: Snapping Turtle
Ontario Nature: Snapping Turtle
International Union for Conservation of Nature: Snapping Turtle
