Friday 12 June - Park open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm 365 days/year
Reptiles Chelydrids Testudines
Snapping turtle

Chelydra serpentina

Distribution
North and Central America.
Habitat
fresh or brackish water, with mud or vegetation to hide in.
Incubation
10 to 15 weeks
Number of eggs
20 to 40
Longevity
30 years in the wild, 45 to 50 years in captivity.
Weight
4 to 16 kg
Size
20 to 45 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Conservation status : Not Threatened

Also called snapping turtle, this turtle is aquatic. It is characterized by its wide legs and powerful claws. If she is comfortable in the water, this is less the case when she is on land, which is why she often chooses attack as a means of defense. And beware: its powerful jaw is very sharp!
This turtle is an opportunistic omnivore, feeding on live animals, but also carrion and aquatic plants,… Everything that passes in front of his mouth!

As this species is considered dangerous, it is necessary to have a “certificate of capacity” to possess it. Nevertheless, a few snapping turtles have been released into French waterways, where they represent a danger to the local fauna… and humans!

In La Barben, the snarling turtles share the terrarium of the spectacled caimans, with whom cohabitation goes smoothly!