125-Pound Alligator Snapping Turtle

FWRI researchers managed to capture some amazing underwater footage of North America's largest freshwater turtle after sampling and releasing a 125-pound male alligator snapping turtle in the Suwannee River last week! On June 9, Travis Thomas and Eric Suarez set 12 traps on the Suwannee. The team had previously marked quite a few juvenile snappers at a particular location on the river, and they were hoping to recapture some of them and collect growth data. Researchers checked the traps the next day and found 15 alligator snappers, which was a record catch. The largest turtle was the 125 pounder seen in the video (not a recapture), and it was trapped near where a spring fed into the river. After collecting data on the turtles they released this monster male in the spring, and Eric Suarez filmed it using a GoPro while snorkeling behind it. Alligator snappers in the Suwannee River drainage are now considered a separate species, and it will likely be listed as state-threatened in the future. To learn more about our alligator snapping turtle research, visit: http://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/amphibians-reptiles/alligator-snapper/

Comments

1. I want one for a pet are there any in Tx
2. Awesome video. Thanks for posting!!
3. Good eating right there
4. Unless this is trick photography that is no more than 70 pounds
5. that turtle isnt even 100 pounds
6. did the turtle have a extra scale on the carapace? I couldn't tell but it seemed that he had a split v.
7. great footage!
8. good video and too max maddie it's not a common snapping turtle
9. This is a Suwannee alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys suwanniensis) that was sampled in the Suwannee River. The turtle was weighed after it was captured, and it weighed approximately 125 pounds.
10. No Max Maddie that is an alligator snapper, however 125Lbs? Based on what?
11. This is a common snapping turtle
12. Great view of the caudal notch, as well as locomotion. This is fantastic!