Meet one of ALNC's pond critters -- Snapper! Found by our naturalists in the ALNC pond, she is one of the biggest snapping turtles ever found at ALNC! In fact, our staff estimates that she weighs a whopping 30 pounds! Snapper was returned to where she was found after her brief jaunt of fame.
Why is she finally coming out of the woodwork? Our naturalists say she’s probably laying her eggs.
Snapping turtles bury their eggs after digging a bottle-shaped hole with their hind feet (shown above) as deep as she can reach - which can be up to eight inches. Snapping turtles then lay from ten to thirty ping pong ball sized eggs. Depending on rainfall, moisture content of the soil and the temperature, the eggs hatch 55 to125 days after laying.
Think your youngster would like to learn more about turtles? There's still room in many of ALNC's summer camps including The Pond and Beyond where your child can learn about and explore the many animals that call our pond home. Click here to find out more!
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