The Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) 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…
American Alligator Federal Threatened The American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) is the largest reptile of North America. Adults may reach a maximum of 18 feet, though the average size is 13 feet for males and 10 feet for females. The larger males weigh as much as…
Eastern Cottonmouth Eastern cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus) are one of the three venomous snakes found in Virginia. They are heavy bodied snakes that can reach over 70 inches in length, but typically are between 36 and 48 inches. Cottonmouths are typically olive to black in…
Eastern Glass Lizard State Threatened One of only nine lizards native to Virginia, the Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) is a legless lizard. Found in only a few locations, the Eastern Glass Lizard is the rarest lizard in the state. At first glance a glass…
Loggerhead Sea Turtle Federal Threatened State Threatened The Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) is one of the largest reptiles found on earth today. The fact that 1 out of 100 may survive to adulthood is remarkable. They have survived huge environmental events in their life…
Spotted Turtle The Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) is one of the smaller turtles found throughout Virginia’s coastal plain. These turtles rarely exceed a carapace length of five inches, and are easily distinguished by their black shells with yellow or orange spots. The spots continue onto…
Timber Rattlesnake Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) are one of three venomous snakes of Virginia. In the state, there are two separate populations. Timber rattlesnakes are found in the mountains and piedmont areas, whereas the Canebrake Rattlesnake is found in the southeast corner of the state….
Wood Turtle State Threatened Wood turtles (Clemmys insculpta) are a very fascinating and rare turtle. Found only in a few northern counties in Virginia, this turtle is listed as state threatened. Some specimens can obtain a length of nearly 10 inches. A distinguishing characteristic is…