Suwannee snapping turtle
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Genus
SPECIES
Macrochelys suwanniensis

The Suwannee snapping turtle (Macrochelys suwanniensis ) is a species of very large freshwater turtle in the family Chelydridae. This species is endemic to the southeastern United States, where it only inhabits the Suwannee River basin.

Distribution

Geography

This species is only found in the Suwannee River basin, in southern Georgia and northern portions of peninsular Florida; it is allopatric with respect to M. temminckii, which inhabits river basins further to the west. It inhabits only riparian habitats such as rivers and their tributaries, but sometimes utilizes backwater swamps and oxbow lakes. Individuals found in inland lakes have likely been introduced. In 2021, an individual was discovered in the Okefenokee Swamp, indicating that a previously-undocumented population of snapping turtles may inhabit the swamp.

Population

Population threats

Due to its slow generation time, it is highly vulnerable to direct stressors such as turtle hunting (illegal in Florida) and indirect stressors such as habitat destruction, which pollutes the water it inhabits. In 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the species under the Endangered Species Act.

References

1. Suwannee snapping turtle Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suwannee_snapping_turtle

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