SANTA FE RIVER TURTLE PROJECT
  • Home
  • MEET THE TURTLES
    • BASKING
    • Snapping Turtles
    • LITTLE BOTTOM WALKERS
    • ODDBALLS
    • NON-NATIVES
    • DEFINITIONS
  • RESEARCH
    • MEET THE RESEARCHERS
    • PUBLICATIONS
    • ORAL PRESENTATIONS
  • SANTA FE RIVER
  • THREATS
  • SLIDE SHOW
  • LINKS
  • CONTACT

Meet the Turtles

SNAPPING TURTLES
​The Santa Fe River is home to 2 different snapping turtle species. One aspect of our research involves learning about how these species manage to coexist. Another aspect of our work focuses on monitoring these populations and assessing their status because they are threatened by illegal collection for food. These turtles are actually quite shy. They will only bite if they are harassed.
Picture
Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle
Machrochelys suwanniensis 

ID: 
  • sharp beak, short neck, long tail, large head
  • rear margin of the carapace sharply serrated
  • row of supramarginal scutes on each side of the carapace
  • starburst pattern in eye
  • carapace length*: female 19.4" (492mm); male 24.5" (623mm)

Habitat: river and springs
Diet: omnivore
Nesting season: March - May
  • crepuscular and nocturnal
  • basks rarely
  • largest individual we captured in the Santa Fe River weighed 130 lbs.
  • requires approximately 20 years to reach sexual maturity
  • only occurs in Suwannee River Basin
  • take or possession from the wild prohibited by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission [Rule 68A-25.002(9)]
Picture
Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtle
Picture
lure inside mouth
Picture
plastron
Picture
eye
Picture
Snapping Turtle
Chelydra serpentina
ID:
  • sharp beak, long neck, long tail
  • rear margin of carapace sharply serrated
  • carapace length*: female 15.0" (380mm); male 17.3" (439mm)
Habitat: river and springs
Diet: omnivore
Nesting season: April - May
  • crepuscular
  • basks rarely
  • largest individual we captured in the Santa Fe River weighed 44 lbs
  • naturally occurs in most freshwater habitats throughout Florida
  • take or possession from the wild prohibited by Florida Fish and  Wildlife Conservation Commission [Rule 68A-25.002(9)]
Picture
snapping turtle
Picture
plastron
Picture
weighing a snapping turtle
Picture
hatchling
​* Carapace length listed is longest recorded in Santa Fe River

©2020 Santa Fe River Turtle Project
Site powered by Weebly. Managed by MacHighway
  • Home
  • MEET THE TURTLES
    • BASKING
    • Snapping Turtles
    • LITTLE BOTTOM WALKERS
    • ODDBALLS
    • NON-NATIVES
    • DEFINITIONS
  • RESEARCH
    • MEET THE RESEARCHERS
    • PUBLICATIONS
    • ORAL PRESENTATIONS
  • SANTA FE RIVER
  • THREATS
  • SLIDE SHOW
  • LINKS
  • CONTACT