Alligator Snapping Turtleワニガメ

Macrochelys temminckiiEN— Endangered

The alligator snapping turtle is one of the heaviest freshwater turtles in the world, native to river systems of the southeastern United States. It hunts by lying motionless on the riverbed and wiggling a worm-shaped lure on its tongue to draw fish into its powerful jaws. Decades of overharvesting have pushed the species into decline, and it is now assessed as Endangered by the IUCN.

Alligator Snapping Turtle (reference photo)
Photo: Krigore / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Testudines / Chelydridae Source
Distribution
Endemic to the southeastern United States, ranging from the Florida Panhandle west to East Texas and north to southeastern Kansas, Missouri, and southern Illinois. Source

Did You Know?

  • One of the heaviest freshwater turtles in the world, it lies on the riverbed with its camouflaged mouth open, wiggling a worm-like lure on its tongue to attract fish in a form of aggressive mimicry. Source
  • Its bite is powerful enough to snap a broom handle, yet no human deaths from its bite have ever been recorded, and it is considered less aggressive than the related common snapping turtle. Source

Where to See This Species

9 facilities · 0 individuals

いしかわ動物園 (Ishikawa Doubutsuen)Ishikawa

いしかわ動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

越前松島水族館 (Echizenmatsushima Suizokukan)FukuiOpened in 1959

越前松島水族館のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

桐生が岡動物園 (Kiryuugaoka Doubutsuen)Gunma自動車の場合、カーナビ検索は「桐生が岡動物園」ではなく「桐生が岡遊園地」で設定すると駐車場に到着できる（動物園名で検索すると誤った経路になる場合がある）。

桐生が岡動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Hirakawa ZooKagoshimaJR指宿枕崎線「五位野駅」から徒歩約20分、またはバスで「福平農協前」から「谷山・動物園行き」に乗車し終点下車。

鹿児島市平川動物公園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

長野市茶臼山動物園 (Naganoshichausuyama Doubutsuen)NaganoJR篠ノ井駅が最寄り駅。

長野市茶臼山動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Toba AquariumMieOpened in 1955

鳥羽水族館のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Tennoji ZooOsakaOpened in 1915

天王寺動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

東武動物公園 (Toubu Doubutsu Kouen)Saitama東武動物公園駅（西口）下車、徒歩10分（600m）またはバス約5分。

東武動物公園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical GardensAichiOpened in 1937

名古屋市東山動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

Latest news

1

Open the news index

Source links to official sites, official YouTube channels, and news aggregators such as Zoo Ring. Visit the publisher for the full item.

Conservation Story

Conservation Status

IUCNでEN（絶滅危機）。過剰な捕獲と生息地の悪化が問題です。

Habitat

米国南東部の河川、湿地、沼沢。

Threats

  • 食用・ペット目的の捕獲
  • 水域の改変
  • 水質悪化

Conservation & Breeding Efforts

  • 採集規制
  • 再導入
  • 河川環境の保全

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org

Support Conservation

A visit is a small, positive way to support the daily lives of the animals you care about.

Visit
A visit itself helps support the facility.
Animal Supporter Programs & Giving
Find ways to support the facility through its official website.
Furusato Nozei
Municipally run facilities may share official guidance for this Japanese hometown-tax program.

FAQ

How does the alligator snapping turtle catch fish?
It lies still on the riverbed with its mouth open, wiggling a pink, worm-shaped appendage on its tongue to lure fish within striking range. Source
How long can it live?
It is believed capable of living up to 200 years, though 80 to 120 years is considered more typical in the wild. Source

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org