Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
Place observed
Miller Marsh and Tylee Marsh
Description
The Snapping Turtle is the largest species of freshwater turtle in Canada. It is robust and has a powerful jaw that it does not hesitate to use to bite when it feels threatened, because it cannot be fully protected by its shell.
Its carapace is brown, black or olive green and can measure up to 50 cm long. Its tail is long and spiny. It usually weighs between 9 and 18 kg (19 to 39 lb) but can sometimes weigh over 35 kg (77 lb). Males are larger than females and babies are only 3 cm long at birth.
Habitat
In Canada, it is found from southeastern Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia. In Rosemère, it has been observed at the Miller Marsh and the Tylee Marsh. It spends most of its time in the muddy or sandy bottoms of freshwater habitats, which are shallow and have little current.
Diet
The Snapping Turtle is omnivorous and eats just about anything: plants, animals and even dead animal carcasses.
Reproduction
It is only from the age of 15 to 20 years that the females of this species are able to reproduce at the beginning of spring, in an aquatic environment. The female then goes in search of a suitable place to lay her eggs, ideally a sunny and dry place.
Status
It is listed as a species of special concern in Canada under the Species at Risk Act. The two main reasons for this are its slow reproductive rate and the loss of its habitat to urban development and agriculture. A Canadian study estimated that only one egg in 1400 would reach maturity, with the vast majority of eggs and babies being eaten by predators.
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