More than six months after their first reintroduction into Kansas waterways, the alligator snapping turtles seem to be settling into their new home.
Before 40 of the creatures were released into the Neosho River in September, the snapping turtle breed was not seen in the Kansas wild since 1991. But a reintroduction program by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks aims to change that.
Daren Riedle, diversity wildlife coordinator with the KDWP, has been working on this project for almost 30 years.
Alligator snapping turtles — known for their large size, hook-shaped jaw and powerful bite — were first identified as endangered in Kansas in 1974. The state’s population wasn’t alone either, alligator snapping turtle numbers declined across the U.S. in the 60s and 70s.
“[Snapping turtles in the] entire southeastern U.S. were harvested for personal and commercial food markets and … because of that, a lot of populations declined,” Riedle said.
At the same time, main drainages where the alligator snapping turtles could be found were being altered, affecting their environment and hastening their decline.
In response to these declines, a captive breeding program was created by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at a hatchery facility in Tishomingo, Okla., in 1999. Since then, alligator snapping turtles have been reintroduced to Illinois, Tennessee, Louisiana and Oklahoma , where Riedle first began his work.
“The whole idea was to … breed and hop scotch them over the dams to repopulate those river segments where they weren’t there anymore,” he said. “We’ve slowly been doing that in Oklahoma since about 2008.”
Those efforts then moved to Kansas.
“[We thought] ‘well, let’s keep going,’” Riedle said. “With me moving to Kansas … let’s keep moving. Let’s move up the Neosho and Verdigris drainages in Kansas, and just keep moving northward to trying to re-establish some of these populations.”
The release of the 40 turtles in the Neosho River in September was KDWP’s first, and as far as the department can tell, they’ve been doing well.
“They seem to have settled down pretty well,” Riedle said. “[We’ve seen them] come up in the shallow waters on a warm day, kind of bask.”
According to the Smithsonian, alligator snapping turtles play a vital role in their environments by controlling certain populations, especially of fish, and removing animal remains.
The KDWP is contracting with Missouri State University to track the reintroduced population. To do so, officials use transmitters, but also make in-person visits to areas.
Out of the 40 turtles released in September, there’s been one mortality.
“We don’t know the cause of the mortality at all,” Riedle said.
The next release is scheduled for early May in the Neosho River in eastern Kansas. That reintroduction will include 60 turtles.
Then, officials will watch and wait.
“We’re just going to kind of wait and track them, and see how they do for a couple years,” Riedle said.
If the second reintroduction goes well, Riedle said there’s a possibility that KDWP will release turtles in the Verdigris River in Kansas in the future.
How are alligator snapping turtles different?
If you’ve seen a snapping turtle in Kansas, it’s more than likely a common snapping turtle. There are specific traits to look for that can help you with identification between the varieties.
The main difference is the size, Riedle said. Common snapping turtles can usually reach around 30 to 40 pounds. In Kansas, the largest alligator snapping turtle recorded was 138 pounds.
“You know, further south when you get into like Mississippi, Alabama down in there they are recording up to 200 pound turtles,” Riedle said.
While both types of snappers have rigid shells, alligator snapping turtles have an extra layer of scales on the top shell compared to common snapping turtles. Alligator snapping turtles’ beaks also have more of a hook.
Both common snapping turtles and alligator snapping turtles are found in fresh water, with alligator snapping turtles mainly preferring the deeper portions. Meanwhile, common snapping turtles can also be found in brackish water with muddy floors, which offer a way for them to blend in.
What should I do if I see an alligator snapping turtle in Kansas?
If you see an alligator snapping turtle, be sure to leave it alone. The turtles have a strong bite that can break through bone, but usually only bite when provoked.
If a turtle gets caught in a fishing line, Riedle said to cut the line and set the turtle free without touching it.
If you want to help with the department’s mission to reintroduce the alligator snapper, you can take a photo of the turtle and send it via email to rare.species@ks.gov . The department can identify the turtle, and if it is an alligator snapping turtle, they can use data you provide to continue tracking efforts.
As reported in the Wichita Eagle
