Wild Fact #952 – Real Fishing with Alligator Snapping Turtles
I realize I just did a post on a turtle species but trust me, you will like seeing another turtle post. The alligator snapping turtle has a very unique hunting method that I think will interest you.
Before I get into the hunting strategies of the alligator snapping turtle let me explain a little bit about this turtle species. They are the largest freshwater turtle in North America, with the largest on record being over 200 pounds. That is right, they are larger than the common snapping turtle but don’t worry as the alligator turtles are not as aggressive as the common snapping turtle. Nonetheless, you wouldn’t want to mess with these turtles since they have a very strong bite force. If you look at the alligator snapping turtle you will find that it resembles a dinosaur. For this reason it is known as the dinosaur of the turtle world in some circles. These are probably the same circles that contain the crazy animal biologist that has just spent 3 weeks camping by themselves in the bush so they giggle every time they think of a dinosaur turtle! One last feature to note before moving onto the feeding strategy. These turtles will spend the majority of their life submerged in the water and generally only venture onto land when the female needs to lay their eggs.
All right, the moment you have all been waiting for! How does this bizarre looking turtle hunt? Well, that is easy to answer. Since they spend the majority of their time in the water the alligator snapping turtle goes fishing to catch its food! I realize you probably think I am being a smart alec but I need to keep myslef entertained while I write these posts. Besides, I didn’t lie to you about the turtle fishing to catch its prey. You see the inside of the alligator snapping turtles’ mouth is camoflaged and contains a tongue that resembles a worm. Now I am sure you see where I am going with this. So the turtle just lies on the bottom of the lake with its mouth open dangling the worm-like tongue. A fish sees the worm-like tongue thinking it is a yummy meal only to be surprised to find out that they are the yummy meal! I hate to admit this but I am willing to bet the alligator snapping turtle is a much better fisherman than I am.
Alligator Snapping Turtle Conservation Status: Although, this particular turtle as no natural predators other than man they still find themselves at risk. Unregulated harvesting and habitat loss has lead the United States to protect them throughout the majority of their range. The alligator snapping turtle is listed as threatened.
If you want to see more about the Alligator Snapping Turtle then check out the video below.
