Craig County Tourism

Early in April, during spring break, my brother and his family came for a visit. We had an enjoyable few days, filled with socializing and driving. In addition to visiting me and our niece in Richmond, brother Joe wanted to show his wife and daughter his museum exhibit at the Prizery Community Arts Center in South Boston. I had gone with him for the opening of the exhibit, “The Crossing of the Dan” a couple of years ago.

As we were walking to their car, preparing for the drive to Richmond, I noticed a large, moving object coming down the hill toward my driveway.

I’ll be darned! A big ol’ snapping turtle! First one I’ve seen since moving here a couple of years ago. Joe, niece Lizzy, and I crowded around, checking it out. (Joe’s wife, Toby didn’t seem to feel the need to get close to the turtle, for some reason.) I’m thinking it was a female, looking for a place to lay her eggs. She was big; her shell was about a foot in diameter, so I assume she was old. They can live for thirty years, in the wild. The ridges in her shell were worn, and she looked like a moving clot of dirt. Looking closely, I realized she was missing claws on her front feet, could be from getting caught in a trap. She remained still as we checked her out. Surprisingly, she didn’t hiss at us. Lizzy was down on her knees, about a foot away, pointing her camera.

Wikipedia tells me that the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentine) has a range extending from southeastern Canada, west to the Rockies, south as far as Ecuador. They are known for their belligerent behavior when out of the water. (Obviously, ours was the exception to that rule.) They have a highly mobile head and neck, a powerful beak-like jaw, and can weigh from 10 to 35 pounds, so don’t even think about picking one up by the sides of their shells. In the water, they are generally docile and timid. They mate from April through November and can travel extensively overland to lay eggs. The female can hold sperm for several seasons, utilizing it as necessary. (Without question, these are solitary creatures.) The female will look for sandy soil in which to lay her eggs, digging a hole and typically depositing 25 to 80, then covering them with the sandy soil for incubation and protection. Incubation is temperature-dependent, ranging from 9 to 18 weeks. Assuming a snapping turtle makes it through the egg and baby stages, they are some of the longest-lived vertebrates. The primary threats to turtles in general are habitat loss (including pollution), automobile activity, and collection for the pet or food trade.

I’m hoping our snapper found a good nesting spot.

by Holly Wadey, reprinted from the Oriskany Grapevine