Texas Fauna Project

Alligator Snapping Turtle

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The alligator snapping turtle is a very long-lived creature. Individuals in captivity have survived to 70 years. Chris Schalk, a research ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service, points out that the turtle's longevity raises lots of challenges and questions. It is hard to understand their full life history, the sustainability of their populations, and what sort of conservation risks they may face, since their life spans dwarf the active careers of most researchers and the duration of their studies.