Wild Republic Living Stream Snapping Turtle 24 Inches, Gift for Kids, Plush Toy, Great Novelty Gift for Fishermen and Sportsmen

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Matt Nichols (author), Radford University, Joseph Pruitt (author), Radford University, DD Munsey (author), Radford University, Garrett Good (author), Radford University, Beth Meyer (author), Radford University, Kelle Urban (author), Radford University, Karen Powers (editor, instructor), Radford University.

The species is also included in Appendix II of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Why haven’t harvest restrictions helped populations rebound?

How can the public comment on this proposal?

Although restrictions have decreased the number of alligator snapping turtles being harvested, populations have not increased in response. This is likely due to the turtle’s relatively low reproductive output, delayed maturity, and long generation times. How will ESA protections benefit these turtles? Males live from 11 to 45 years with an average age of 26 years. Females live from 15 to 37 years with an average of 23 years. Alligator snapping turtles can live a very long time in captivity; the oldest known individual in captivity was 70 years old. ( "The Alligator Snapping Turtle", 2007) Ernst, C., R. Barbour, J. Lovich. 1994. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.

Alligator snapping turtles are hunters and scavengers that feed on fish, mollusks, and other turtles as well as frogs, snakes, snails, small mammals, insects, and aquatic plants. They are most active at night; however, during the day they often lay motionless in murky waters with their mouths open, using a red wormlike projection on their tongues as a lure to attract unsuspecting fish or frogs. Alligator snapping turtles are also capable of using a chemical sense to locate prey such as mud turtles and musk turtles. Alligator snapping turtles have extremely powerful jaws and a dangerous bite. Capable of exerting a force of several hundred newtons, their bite can easily break through bone and has been known to sever human fingers. Adult turtles have no predators of their own aside from human beings, although eggs and hatchlings may be preyed upon by fish, birds, and raccoons. The only known predators of adults are humans, but eggs and hatchlings are a source of food for large fish, raccoons, and birds. Programs in Arkansas and the Lower Mississippi Valley that establish and protect waterfowl habitat have countered some of these impacts by maintaining suitable habitat for other freshwater species like the alligator snapping turtle. These protections, in turn, help maintain the overall health of that ecosystem.

Where does this turtle live?

Conant, R., R. Stebbins, J. Collins. 1992. Peterson First Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. This 4(d) rule further provides for alligator snapping turtle conservation by prohibiting the following take activities that are incidental to otherwise lawful actions, except as otherwise authorized or permitted: take resulting from commercial or recreational fishing bycatch and take resulting from habitat alteration and/or activities that reduce the amount of or access to habitat, especially nesting habitat for female turtles. Although regulatory harvest restrictions have decreased the number of alligator snapping turtles being harvested, populations have not necessarily increased in response. This lag in population response is likely due to the species’ demographics. For example, the species is long-lived with delayed maturity (11-21 years), has long generation times (mean 31.2 years), and they have a relatively low reproductive output with females only laying, on average, 28 eggs per year. How will commercial and recreational fishing be affected?