MEET BEAR
The 3rd Largest and Strongest Bite Force Alligator Snapping Turtle
Alligator snapping turtles are sometimes described as dinosaur-like because of their spiky shells and primitive-looking faces. They have three pointed ridges along their shells that run from head to tail. Unlike all other species of snapping turtle, this one has eyes on the sides of its head.
The alligator snapping turtle is the largest species of freshwater turtle. Males typically weigh between 155 and 175 pounds. The species is native to freshwater habitats in the United States and is one of the heaviest freshwater turtles in the world. It is the largest freshwater species of turtle in North America.
Alligator snapping turtles are found exclusively in the United States, from northern Florida to eastern Texas and as far north as Iowa. They are almost exclusively aquatic, and tend to stay submerged and motionless for so long that algae begins to grow on their shells. They can go 50 minutes before needing to surface for a gulp of air. Except for egg-laying females, these turtles almost never come on land. River systems, lakes, and wetland comprise their preferred habitats.