Alligator Snapping Turtle

“Nothing encapsulates the word ‘primeval’ quite like a large adult male Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii), in my opinion. Once presumably common, turtles of this size class seem to have become increasingly rare, as many populations still bear the scars of decades-long commercial harvest. This picture captures a 120lb individual from a population that appears to have escaped that historical exploitation, as this size remains strikingly abundant within this particular floodplain swamp system.

This population may have, in part, escaped historical harvest due to its relatively challenging accessibility. Shallow, muddy bayou waters full of tremendous amounts of large woody debris, cypress knees, and a tangling of muscadine vines overhead turn traveling by jon boat into an arduous task most are less than willing to undertake. I certainly appreciate Luke Pearson and Patrick Delisle humoring me and allowing me to snap several photos of this individual at the end of a heavy trapping day in the field.

While not as extensive as I think many wish it still was, this little pocket of southeastern wilderness shows that the ancient American landscape, some megafauna included, still endures.” – McAulay Jaunsen