Snappers were once used to find dead bodies in lakes. Tethered to a rope, the snapper was released into the water. When the reptile stopped moving the trackers knew it must have found a body and begun to feed. The alligator snapper has a small, worm-shaped appendage at the base of its mouth that it can move at will. In some areas of Thailand, turtles are covered in gold leaf and kept in temples.
Man is the snapping turtle's main enemy, killing it for food and sport.
Still, its numbers remain constant. Shell, up to 16 in. Males are slightly smaller. Females, 4-6 years. Eggs laid late may not hatch until spring.