Alligator Snapping Turtle
- Macrochelys temminckii
- The largest freshwater turtle in North America.
- Average adult size is around 26 inches shell length with a weight of 175 pounds. Males are typically larger than females.
- Commonly found in the Mississippi River watershed in the United States.
- The alligator snapping turtle lives in a primarily aquatic environment. Typically only nesting females will venture onto land. They can stay submerged for as long as 50 minutes at a time.
- Characterized by a large, heavy head and a thick tail with three dorsal ridges of large scales gives it a primitive appearance reminiscent of some of the plated dinosaurs.
Location at Palm Beach Zoo
- The west side of Baker Lake
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