The majority of pond and marsh turtles live in lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and tidewater areas. A few species, including box turtles and wood turtles, dwell mainly on land. Snapping turtles make up a family of large, fresh-water turtles that live only in North America, Central America, and northern South America. There are two species of snappers. The other species, the alligator snapper, lives in the Central and Southeastern United States.
Alligator snappers are the largest turtles of North America, except for sea turtles.
Snapping turtles eat small water animals, such as fish, frogs, insects, snails, and young waterfowl. Snappers have a large head and strong jaws. They may bite fiercely if disturbed. A snapper's small shell does not give much protection, and so it depends on its strong, sharp-edged jaws for defense. Soft-shelled turtles make up a family of 21 species.