Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

Adult snapping turtle at Beaver Lake in Baldwinsville, NY About two weeks ago on a visit to Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville, NY, I spied a snapping turtle ( Chelydra serpentina ), paddling in the shallows of the pond. Rising from the muddy depths with plodding steps, it poked its head out of the water for a quick breather and a glance around. Fortunately I wasn't planning on going swimming that day, but certainly many a swimmer has felt the rush of adrenalin and pang of fear as they notice these ancient reptiles cruising past their toes! Snapping turtles have always had a fearsome reputation. Their fast and powerful bites are what enables them to capture fish, frogs, snakes, mice, and carrion, as well as some plant matter as well. Their bite force, while powerful, isn't the most powerful of all turtle species. According to a study by scientists from University of Amherst, University of Miami, and University of Massachusetts found that while the snapping tur...