{"id":14098,"date":"2020-05-25T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-25T10:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/?p=14098"},"modified":"2020-05-26T09:39:25","modified_gmt":"2020-05-26T13:39:25","slug":"take-5-snapping-turtles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-snapping-turtles\/","title":{"rendered":"Take 5: Snapping Turtles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Every year in late spring and early summer, adult female turtles cross the roads of Massachusetts in search of nest sites. One of the biggest (literally) culprits is the Snapping Turtle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Found in all sorts of water bodies, from rivers to lakes to marshes, the Snapping Turtle can grow up to 19\u201d long. It has three ridges on its carapace (the top half of its shell), a spiky tail, and a decidedly “dinosaur-ish” look, with good reason\u2014The first turtles appeared over 200 million years ago, making them even more ancient than their reptilian cousins, snakes and lizards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people assume that something is wrong when a turtle is crossing the road. With best of intentions, they mistakenly attempt to return it to water, take it home, or take it somewhere that seems safer to release it. But the best thing to do is leave it alone or, if threatened by traffic, move it to the side of the road in the direction it was already heading<\/strong>.<\/strong> The turtle knows where it wants to go and may have been nesting in the same spot for many years\u2014or even decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But remember, Snapping Turtles can be aggressive and have powerful jaws that can deliver a painful bite if threatened (possibly because their small lower shell or “plastron” leaves them vulnerable) and their neck can stretch the length of their shell. Never <\/strong>grab one by the tail\u2014you could seriously injure the turtle. Simply give her space and let her mosey along on her way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are five photos of these amazing creatures from our annual Picture This: Your Great Outdoors<\/a> photo contest. Learn more about the turtles of Massachusetts<\/a> on our website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Snapping
Snapping Turtle \u00a9 Jim Morelly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Snapping
Snapping Turtle \u00a9 Mark Renehan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Snapping
Snapping Turtle \u00a9 Mary McDonough<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Snapping
Snapping Turtle \u00a9 Paul Malenfant<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Snapping
Snapping Turtle \u00a9 Richard Welch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every year in late spring and early summer, adult female turtles cross the roads of Massachusetts in search of nest sites. One of the biggest (literally) culprits is the Snapping Turtle. Found in all sorts of water bodies, from rivers to lakes to marshes, the Snapping Turtle can grow up to 19\u201d long. It has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":68,"featured_media":14104,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6,158],"tags":[257,83,84,187,250,105],"class_list":["post-14098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","category-take-5","tag-herps","tag-photo-contest","tag-photography","tag-reptiles","tag-snapping-turtle","tag-turtles"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/05\/5591Mark_Renehan27493.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3t87A-3Fo","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9264,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/why-did-the-turtle-cross-the-road\/","url_meta":{"origin":14098,"position":0},"title":"Why Did the Turtle Cross the Road?","author":"Ryan D.","date":"June 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"To get to the other side...to lay her eggs! In late spring and early summer, adult female turtles cross roads in search of nest sites. Each species has a different habitat requirement, but when searching for a nest site they usually choose sandy or loose soil in lawns, tilled or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/nature-notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Turtle Crossing sign at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/06\/Turtle_Crossing_Wellfleet.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/06\/Turtle_Crossing_Wellfleet.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/06\/Turtle_Crossing_Wellfleet.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11109,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-turtle-takeover\/","url_meta":{"origin":14098,"position":1},"title":"Take 5: Turtle Takeover","author":"Ryan D.","date":"June 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"There are 10 species of turtles in Massachusetts, ranging from the tiny bog turtle, which measures 3-4\u201d long, to the prehistoric-looking snapping turtle, which can grow up to 19\u201d long. In addition, five sea turtles visit our shores, occasionally becoming\u00a0stranded on beaches.\u00a0Although many turtle species live in the water, all\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Eastern Box Turtle \u00a9 Kevin McCarthy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/05\/1783Kevin_McCarthy13352_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/05\/1783Kevin_McCarthy13352_fi.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2018\/05\/1783Kevin_McCarthy13352_fi.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8716,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/how-to-help-turtles\/","url_meta":{"origin":14098,"position":2},"title":"How to Help Turtles","author":"Hillary T.","date":"March 13, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Go out for a nature walk on a sunny day and there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ll spot a turtle basking in the sun. If something is so common, it probably doesn\u2019t need our help, right? Not so fast. Turtles may be found in our ponds, streams, rivers, and oceans, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Get Involved"","block_context":{"text":"Get Involved","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/get-involved\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/2709Tammy_Vezina9656.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/2709Tammy_Vezina9656.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2017\/03\/2709Tammy_Vezina9656.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7652,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-paint-by-turtle-numbers\/","url_meta":{"origin":14098,"position":3},"title":"Take 5: Paint by (Turtle) Numbers","author":"Ryan D.","date":"May 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Today we're honoring painted turtles, named for the\u00a0unique red and yellow stripes along their heads, necks, and tails. 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Keep an eye out for them as they try to cross roads. Remember to give them plenty of space; they can be defensive if threatened, so treat them with respect. This collection of images\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/Terry-Hoog-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/Terry-Hoog-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2015\/06\/Terry-Hoog-2013.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13783,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/take-5-painted-turtles\/","url_meta":{"origin":14098,"position":5},"title":"Take 5: Painted Turtles","author":"Ryan D.","date":"April 13, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"A welcome and colorful sign of spring, Painted Turtles are already out sunning themselves after a long, cold winter spent buried under the mud at the bottom of ponds and lakes across the region. Each fall, as water temperatures drop, Painted Turtles, like many other reptiles, will enter a deep\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Take 5"","block_context":{"text":"Take 5","link":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/category\/take-5\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Painted Turtle \u00a9 Alyssa Mattei","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/04\/760Alyssa_Mattei17320.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/04\/760Alyssa_Mattei17320.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/04\/760Alyssa_Mattei17320.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2020\/04\/760Alyssa_Mattei17320.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/68"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14098"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14098\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14135,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14098\/revisions\/14135"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.massaudubon.org\/yourgreatoutdoors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}