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April 2010- Snapping Turtles
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Article Content
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| Invasive Species of the Month |
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April 2010 Invasive Species of the month
Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina)
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| April calendar events |
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2010 Oregon Invasive Species Council
calendar events
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| What is a snapping turtle? |
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The common snapping turtle is a robust turtle with an upper shell length of 18 inches. The head is black with large powerful jaws. The carapace (upper shell) is variable in color (green and brown to almost black) with jagged enlarged scales on top and serrated edges towards the back. The plastron (lower shell) is small and narrow, which doesn’t allow the snapping turtle to pull its body parts into its shell. Its legs are very thick and powerful with yellowish coloration. The tail is yellowish and long (nearly as long as the shell) and is saw- toothed along the top. Snapping turtles are habitat generalists, and are found in lakes, farm ponds, shallow wetlands, small streams and river systems. They are capable of moving overland and will do so to search for new bodies of water. They prefer water bodies with muddy bottoms. They are transmitting diseases to our native turtles as well as out competing them for basking sites and food. Their diet is comprised of aquatic vegetation, amphibians, crayfish, worms, birds small mammals carrion and other turtles. Snapping turtles will eat about anything that will fit between their jaws.
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| Where? |
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The common snapping turtle’s natural range covers the entire eastern United States and southern Canada, extending from Nova Scotia and Maine in the northeast, to Florida in the south and eastern New Mexico and eastern Montana in the west. However, common snapping turtles have been introduced outside of their natural range and have been reported from the Rio Grande in New Mexico and are now found in many habitats in California, Oregon and
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| Lookalike? |
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Oregon has two native turtles, western painted turtles and western pond turtles.
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| What can you do? |
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Call 1-800-INVADER or report it online at http://oregoninvasiveshotline.org/ or call the Invasive Species Hotline at 1-866-INVADER (1-866-468-2337). This number is toll free.
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If you are in possession of a snapping turtle, contact your local Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife office.
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Do not release pet animals of any kind into the wild.
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Volunteer to help biologists monitor turtles or help with a habitat restoration project. Organizations that sponsor projects include the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Oregon Zoo and Metro Parks and Greenspaces.
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If you have a motorboat, be careful and watch for turtles. You wake can send turtles flying off their basking logs.
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If you catch a turtle when fishing, don't cut the line. The hook may get trapped in its esophogus and the turtle will starve to death.
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Know the law. Snapping turtles are prohibited in Oregon.
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Think twice before you buy a turtle. Turtles live a really long time, sometimes more than 20 years.
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