Snapping Turtle

I photographed this big turtle last June as I was cycling into work on my bicycle. The year before I had seen a couple but didn't have my camera but last year I was better prepared. It's likely a female going to lay her eggs somewhere.

I would have liked to have gotten some lower angle shots but I had to keep and eye out for fast speeding cyclists since the turtle and I were alongside a bike pathon the blid side of a curve at the bottom of a steep hill.

Canon 40D & Sigma 70-200mmm F 2.8 at 200mm

1. In full stride

Those are some enormous claws.

Great shots and strange to think that thing is much older than most of us on this forum.

Nice images. Is the snapping turtle a tortoise that's just been misnamed? Only asking because the I thought turtles have webbed feet.

(I'm no turtle/tortoise expert though, just trying to learn )

Bob_A wrote in post #9875986
Nice images. Is the snapping turtle a tortoise that's just been misnamed? Only asking because the I thought turtles have webbed feet.

(I'm no turtle/tortoise expert though, just trying to learn )

Biologically, a tortoise is a type of turtle. Tortoises are a subset of turtles. The simple rule of thumb is that tortoises are mainly terrestrial and turtles are mainly aquatic. But, as you see, they sometimes cross over. Snapping turtles spend a lot of time in water, but they also come onto land, as is the case with this guy.

And boy, this guy is quite a monster, size wise. It's amazing to see how large they grow, especially since they start out so tiny. It must have been really cool to see him out on the road, though I hope you kept your distance, they can be quite temperamental!

nicely done The only true dinosare remnent left in my corners. We have many one legged ducks in the ponds as proof of snappers. We always use the long lens option on these fellows. I like your shot of it in stride. Most of my shotsthey are sunning on a log. They are cool.Sort of the Northern Alligator.
Sam

How large was he/she?? These things pull down baby ducks in my lake/pond; and I'm sure they are responsible for a lot of the ducks limping that I see.
Karen

Bob_A wrote in post #9875986
Nice images. Is the snapping turtle a tortoise that's just been misnamed? Only asking because the I thought turtles have webbed feet.

(I'm no turtle/tortoise expert though, just trying to learn )

If you look closely at hind feet in first image you can see the webbing between toes.


Excellent shots!
Shots like this are the reason I dont walk out my door without camera in hand.

These suckers are faster than you might think (when they want to be!)

I had a nice ... cute pet turtle when I was a kid. This thing looks like it would bite your face off

Thanks Lysendriel and Bhock for the info!

It's probably a female. The girls leave the marsh area to lay eggs on a south facing loose rock slope. They often cross roads and get crushed. Nice shots

These things are like rats. They get into a pond and multiple like banshees. I'm always amazed to see them in farm ponds miles away from any other water source. No water is safe from them.

Forst of all let me apologise for not responding earlier to all of your comments. I was busy and unable to visit POTN again until today.

Momtothefurmonsters wrote in post #9875899
Those are some enormous claws.

Thanks for taking the time to comment

CORUPTImages wrote in post #9875936
Great shots and strange to think that thing is much older than most of us on this forum.

Yes they are long-lived

Bob_A wrote in post #9875986
Nice images. Is the snapping turtle a tortoise that's just been misnamed? Only asking because the I thought turtles have webbed feet.
(I'm no turtle/tortoise expert though, just trying to learn )

Thanks Bob.

Lysendriel wrote in post #9877652
Biologically, a tortoise is a type of turtle. Tortoises are a subset of turtles. The simple rule of thumb is that tortoises are mainly terrestrial and turtles are mainly aquatic. But, as you see, they sometimes cross over. Snapping turtles spend a lot of time in water, but they also come onto land, as is the case with this guy.

And boy, this guy is quite a monster, size wise. It's amazing to see how large they grow, especially since they start out so tiny. It must have been really cool to see him out on the road, though I hope you kept your distance, they can be quite temperamental!

Thanks Lysendriel for the additional info. Yes I stayed fairly well back. I was more concerned about the cyclists whipping around the curve than the turtle.

sam walker wrote in post #9878223
nicely done The only true dinosare remnent left in my corners. We have many one legged ducks in the ponds as proof of snappers. We always use the long lens option on these fellows. I like your shot of it in stride. Most of my shots they are sunning on a log. They are cool. Sort of the Northern Alligator.
Sam

Thanks Sam Yes they really remind me of being prehistoric as well, especially when I photographed them fiercely mating last year.

pttenn wrote in post #9878447
How large was he/she?? These things pull down baby ducks in my lake/pond; and I'm sure they are responsible for a lot of the ducks limping that I see.
Karen

Thanks Karen. She had about a 1.5 foot carapace. I saw one catch a small sandpiper one time near my home. The poor bird was struglling in the water and when I got over to it the snapper (<10 " carapace) had drowned it and was beginning its meal.

Bhock wrote in post #9878933
If you look closely at hind feet in first image you can see the webbing between toes.


Excellent shots!
Shots like this are the reason I dont walk out my door without camera in hand.

Yes Bhock as I mentioend I missed the opportunity the yeasr before int eh exact same area.

Mark Theriot wrote in post #9878938
These suckers are faster than you might think (when they want to be!)

Yes Mark they can move when they want to.

Bob_A wrote in post #9878989
I had a nice ... cute pet turtle when I was a kid. This thing looks like it would bite your face off

Thanks Lysendriel and Bhock for the info!

My too Bob.

rawkhopper wrote in post #9886057
It's probably a female. The girls leave the marsh area to lay eggs on a south facing loose rock slope. They often cross roads and get crushed. Nice shots

I agree Rawkhopper.

BigBlueDodge wrote in post #9931076
These things are like rats. They get into a pond and multiple like banshees. I'm always amazed to see them in farm ponds miles away from any other water source. No water is safe from them.

Thanks for the info David.