Snapper

By CONNIE MERTZ

One of summer’s rare sights is the snapping turtle. Often seen by anglers near lakes, rivers or streams, it is easy to recognize. It is said that the “loggerhead,” as it is sometimes called, is the only turtle that has an economic value. Its meat is prized by some people, and in some restaurants, snapper soup is on the menu.

There are two identifying features that give away the snapping turtles’ identity: his large head and his tail, which are as long as the carapace. Make no mistake about it, snappers aren’t a friendly turtle, and its strong jaws can do much damage to fingers if approached too closely.

Snappers are not only found all over this area, but from southern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and from the east coast to the Rockies. Snappers revel in the shallows of any body of water and tend to enjoy walking on the bottom. Just watch for his eyes and nostrils to surface. Actually, the snapper doesn’t come out of hibernation from the muddy depths until April. Eggs, 25 to 50, are laid away from the water and hatch in nine to 16 weeks. The young are an inch long.

Snappers are considered omnivorous eating anything from aquatic plants to fish, mammals, birds and small waterfowl.