The Alligator Snapping Turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in North America.  Its scientific name is the Macroclemys temmincki.

Alligator Snapping Turtles can get almost as long as 31 inches and can weight up to 250 lb.  They may live longer than 100 years. It can be identified by their three large, pronounced ridges running from the front to the back of their very large shells.  They have a snout that is pointed and their eyes are on the sides of their heads.  Their jaws are very powerful and their tongue looks like a worm so it can attract food.  The Alligator Snapping Turtle will eat absolutely anything in the wild.
 
Alligator Snapping Turtles spend most of their time in the deep water of large rivers, canals, lakes, swamps, and bayous, they only go onto land to nest their young.  According to the Alligator Snapping Foundation , Alligator Snapping Turtles are sedentary, that means they live quietly in one place.  They stay under water for very long periods of up to 15 to 20 minutes. 

The Alligator Snapping Turtle will reach maturity at about 11 to 13 years of age.  They usually mate during the months of April and June, nesting about 2 months later.  The clutches number 8 to 52 eggs in a nest, incubation lasts from 80 to 110 days. 

Unfortunately the number of Alligator Snapping Turtles is falling because they are losing their habitats to humans and because humans want their meat and shells. 

Credits:

We would like to thank Smithsonian National Zoological Park for allowing us to use the image of the Alligator Snapping Turtle. If you would like to find out more about the Zoo and see more amazing images of animals visit http://nationalzoo.si.edu/default.cfm

We used information from the following web sites to help us write this page:

http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biomes/speciesprofile/streams.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_snapping_turtle

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Alligatorsnappingturtle.cfm