This Common Snapping Turtle was found wandering along the entrance to the Village Creek Drying Beds in Arlington, Texas. The driveway runs along side of a swampy area for several hundred yards/meters. It is not clear why the snapping turtle felt compelled to leave the safety of the water, but I would suspect it might have something to do with spring. Egg laying or mate seeking possibly?
Hi Chris, nice series of photos of the snapping turtle.
Regarding your comment about the turtle leaving the water: Most species of aquatic turtles engage in terrestrial “walkabouts.” Young males do this as a part of their movement to areas not already occupied by other males, females do it to select suitable sites for ovoposition. One reason we don’t see any more of this movement than we do is that most of it takes place at night. I suspect it makes a greater degree of genetic outcrossing than if they did not do it, and so turtle populations have reduced in breeding and fewer genetically weak individuals than they would otherwise.
Dispersal from the area where born is a common phenomenon among many animals.
Thanks for the comment, David… Can you make a judgement about the gender of this turtle based on the photographs? I’m leaning toward male… what do you think?
Can’t say Chris.