The Snapping Turtle

Though slow on foot, the Snapping Turtle is

The Snapping Turtle, photo taken from Ohio's Reptiles

extremely fast with its neck and jaw. Snapping both quickly and accurately, it has the ability to stretch its neck up to 20 cm, biting down with a razor sharp beak. They tend to grip and hold; in some cases the snapper's jaw muscle had to be cut to get them to release. This is by far their strongest defence, because, unlike other turtles, they can not pull their limbs fully into their shells. They can grow up to a meter in length, and it is said that they have the capability of detaching human fingers. However, don't be scared because they won't attack unless cornered. They are mostly carnivorous in the spring, and spend the rest of the year eating mainly plants. They have dark shells, usually coated with algae, with dull yellow plastron, and grey or brown skin. They are usually found in the waters of shallow lakes, muddy ponds, marshes, and creeks with abundant vegetation.