What is the largest alligator snapping turtle on record?

249 pounds
The largest snapping turtle ever officially recorded was a 16 year old alligator snapping turtle that weighed in at a massive 249 pounds. This massive turtle was weighed at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago in 1999 prior to being sent to Tennessee Aquarium on breeding loan.

How big is a full grown alligator snapping turtle?

Size and Weight Males average 26 inches in shell length and weigh about 175 pounds, although they have been known to exceed 220 pounds. The much smaller females top out at around 50 pounds.

How old can an alligator snapping turtle get?

The alligator snapping turtle is the one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world and can live up to 100 years in the wild.

What’s the lifespan of a snapping turtle?

Snapping turtles generally reach maturity at 8 to 10 years and can live up to 40 years or more. They typically occupy home ranges of 4 to 22 acres, depending on the size of the wetland.

Is it illegal to keep an alligator snapping turtle?

Alligator snapping turtles are somewhat protected throughout their range. In many states, they are not legal to buy, sell or own without a permit. However, it is sometimes legal to hatch them from your own stock. And many states simply ban the sale of locally obtained non-game wildlife.

Is it illegal to own a alligator snapping turtle?

What is the oldest alligator snapping turtle?

In the wild, alligator snapping turtles can live up to 45 years although 23 years is average. The oldest captive alligator snapping turtle lived 70 years.

How strong is an alligator snapping turtles bite?

Some myths claim that alligator snapping turtles are known to attack people, but this isn’t the case. But with a bite force of 1,000 pounds, their powerful jaws can snap through bone—so they should never be handled in the wild.

What is the lifespan of an alligator snapping turtle?

Sexual maturity is attained between 11 and 13 years of age, and alligator snapping turtles have been known to live up to 70 years in captivity, although the lifespan in the wild is unknown (11). The alligator snapping turtle actively forages for food at night, but is more of a sit and wait predator during the day.

What is the largest snapping turtle ever recorded?

“According to unverified reports the largest alligator snapping turtle ever caught was snagged on the Neosho River in Kansas in 1937. It is said this monstrous beast weighed at least 400 pounds, but scientists never confirmed this estimate.” (From the Inquisitr , May 5 2014.)

What is the bite strength of an alligator snapping turtle?

Contrary to claims that alligator snapping turtles possess one of the strongest bite forces of any animal, it has been recorded at 158 ± 18 kgf (1,550 ± 180 N; 348 ± 40 lbf), which is lower than several other species of turtles and at about the same level as humans, relative to the turtle’s body size.

Are snapping turtles endangered species?

The Alligator snapping turtles are now listed as an endangered species, due to their declining population as a result of human poaching. These group of turtles belong to the family chelydridae and are divided in 2 main groups. This is one of the largest species of freshwater turtles in the world.