Time to hit the swamp, all 145 pounds of me. Before I head back, here’s a look at my good side! Excellent job to everyone who submitted guesses for our #TriviaTuesday question. Alligator Snapping Turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in the Western Hemisphere and can weigh up to 200 pounds. A study released this year shows that there are actually three species of Alligator Snapping Turtle. Before, it was believed that there was only one. Each species has a smaller range of its own, restricted to river systems that drain into the northern Gulf of Mexico. Although listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as threatened, recent population surveys show that these “dinosaurs of the turtle world” are endangered in parts of some states and extinct in others—mostly due to overharvesting, habitat degradation and even human consumption. Hint, hint: do your part to help protect river ecosystems! Speaking of dinosaurs, did you know? Gigantor could possibly be about 200 years old. He came to us from Texas’ Caldwell Zoo in 1993 after being found at a location nearby. Now, he calls our nocturnal exhibit, Kingdoms of the Night, home.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 05:00:29 +0000
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