The Alligator Snapping Turtle

The Alligator Snapping Turtle is the largest
freshwater turtle in North America.

They are known as the"dinosaurs of the turtle world" and just like dinosaurs, they are becoming extinct-this time because of us. Why were they were given these names? Sharp spikes on their shells that resemble an alligator, snapping jaws, and scaly tail. That's why!

They can be in the canals, lakes and rivers in the U.S waters, but can also be found in Europe and Asia because of the exotic pet trade. You will most likely find Alligator snapping turtles in South Carolina and northern Florida. Every time you throw garbage into a river or flush chemicals down the toilet, you are personally killing these guys! 

Adult alligator snapping turtles don't have any natural predators but because of us, they are on the endangered species list. People capture and sell them in the exotic animal trade and even sadly, kill the alligator snappers to sell the meat and shells. It makes me so sad that because of what we're doing, these scary looking guys won't be on Earth with us in the future. We have to stop this now! The population is rapidly diminishing because of loss of habitat and unregulated harvesting. Do you really want that? 

Today, many places in America protect the turtles in most of their ranges but there are still some places that allow people to hunt them. These animals need our help! How can we help these animals from ceasing to exist? We can do our part in keeping their habitats clean, help restore their wetland area, try to avoid water pollution, and even organize a community day where we can clean up the streams. Think twice before you make an action that can harm many species.