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Can you tell how old a snapping turtle is by its size?
Growth Rings This alternating growth pattern forms visible rings around the scutes; because this pattern typically repeats on an annual cycle, each growth ring often corresponds to one year of life. Therefore, a turtle with seven growth rings is approximately 7 years old.
How old is a 65 lb snapping turtle?
Lord Fairfax is a young turtle at just 65 pounds—his species can grow heavier than 200 pounds, and can live to be around 100 years old.
How old is the average snapping turtle?
Snapping turtles generally reach maturity at 8 to 10 years and can live up to 40 years or more.
How far do snapping turtles travel?
Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada, southwest to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, as far east as Nova Scotia and Florida. The three species of Chelydra and the larger alligator snapping turtles (genus Macrochelys) are the only extant chelydrids, a family now restricted to the Americas.
How big can a snapping turtle get?
8 to 14 in
Description: The common snapping turtle is a large turtle, ranging in size from 8 to 14 in (20-36 cm) with a record length of 19.3 in (49 cm). Their average weights range from 10 to 35 lbs (4.5 – 16 kg), with a record of 75 lbs (34 kg). Their color varies from tan to dark brown to almost black in some specimens.
What is the range of the alligator snapping turtle?
Alligator snapping turtles are native to the southern United States. They are found in rivers and streams that feed into the Gulf of Mexico. Their range stretches from Iowa, west into Texas, and east into Georgia and northern Florida.
Are alligator snapping turtles found in Virginia?
“The ‘common’ snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is the species native to Virginia, while the alligator snapping turtle is native to river drainages that flow in the Gulf of Mexico, east to Georgia and the panhandle of Florida, and westward to East Texas,” the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries wrote …