Common Snapping Turtles

[SwampDonkey]

Which way to the beaver pond guys?



I've only seen these around beaver ponds and small marshes. They have orange colored bellies. Not too common here.

[Scott]

 SD, if you want to see a lot of these turtles then canoe down the neripis river in welsford. My friend and I Kayaked down it last may and saw 4 in about 3 hours. i have some pictures of one around here somewhere. At the time we thought it was a snapper.

[SwampDonkey]

Scott That's  8)

I've often wondered how these animals can survive our cold. They must be in the mud or under a log or under leaves and weeds for winter. But how do they breath, they aren't like frogs that breath through their skin. Be interesting to find out more on them.

My mud turtle in the picture was 'slow poke', a turtle that used to hang out in the pond in front of the Hugh John Flemming Forestry Centre. He/she showed up there every year. I'm not sure if its still around.