Alligator Snapping Turtle Found in Chinese Lake

San Francisco (GaeaTimes.com) - An Alligator Snapping Turtle is found at Weishan Lake in South China. The fisherman who netted this creature was astonished after catching this striking creature. This creature looks like a cross between a turtle and dinosaur and is called Alligator Snapping Turtle. This turtle is one of the largest freshwater turtle in the world which is larger and less aggressive relative to the other common turtles. Sun Yungcheng, the fisherman who netted it, said that it is 76 cm long and 30 cm wide and around 7kg. He was very scared when it hooked the net.

Alligator Snapping Turtle have heavy head and long, thick shell with three dorsal ridges of large osteoderms which is characteristic of plated dinosaur. By the three distinct rows of spikes and raised plates on the carapace it can be easily distinguished from common snapping turtles. They are a solid gray, brown and olive-green in colors and often covered with algae. They will eat almost anything they can catch. Naturally they eat primarily of fish or dead fish, crarrions and amphibians. But they eat snake also and even other turtles. Though their life span is unknown but this type of turtles may live up to 150 years of age. In the early spring the female builds nests and lays a clutch of 10-50 eggs after 2 months. Nests are built 50 yards far from water edge to prevent the eggs from floods.

According to the local fishing department, the turtle found in China is only native to North America. They also added that local ecological system may hamper his life. The spokesman for Jining Fishing Bureau told that this the first time an Alligator Snapping Turtle is found in local water. This striking species was probably someone’s pet before being dropped in the lake.