The largest freshwater turtle found in Virginia, the common snapping turtle can reach a shell length of over 19 inches and weigh up to 75 pounds! its long tail with recognizable saw-tooth keels makes it distinctive from other aquatic turtle species. Powerful beak-l.ike jaw and hightly mobile head and neck make it a formidable hunter.
Habitat: Aquatic fresh or brackish water systems. Prefers muddy bottoms and emergent vegetation. Rarely comes out of the water, except during nesting season.
Diet: Opportunistic omnivores – anything they can capture and swallow! Recorded consuming arthropods, crustaceans, amphibians, fish, mammals, and aquatic plants.
