Alligator Snapping Turtle is the largest species of freshwater turtle mostly seen in the southeastern parts of North America, however, the numbers have been dropped significantly in the last couple of decades because of hunting. Also, water pollution and habitat destruction are some of the reasons in declining of their population. The animal species can reach 26 inches in length and weighs approximately 155 to 175 pounds. The shell of the turtle can be grey, black, brown or greenish in colour and often covered with algae that provides him more camouflage in murky waters.
Talking about the appearance, they have a large head with strong beak-like jaw, scaly skin and large claws. They look similar to species of plated dinosaurs. One of the ugliest animals in the world believed to exists on the planet for least 20 million years. The species loves to hunt and eat worms, crayfish, snails, frogs, snakes and aquatic vegetation. Alligator snapping turtles spend most of the time in the water, however, females leave the water to deposit eggs in the ground. The average lifespan of the species is 20 to 70 years in captivity.
