No other freshwater turtle in the world is as uniquely exciting or interesting as the alligator snapping turtle (AST for short).  No other freshwater turtle in the world posses a predatory lure inside their mouth nor does any freshwater turtle in the Western Hemisphere grows to such legendary proportions. Wild males in Texas have been documented weighing just over 200 pounds!

A majority of the AST research in Texas has been taking place during the past four years and in that time we've essentially quadrupled our knowledge regarding these lurking leviathans.  Adult alligator snappers are apex predators with essentially no natural enemies.  Sadly these iconic American turtles face an uncertain future. In many parts of their range, AST populations have been decimated from over harvesting, poaching and accidental deaths from incidental bycatch.  It is our goal to enhance awareness regarding these amazing turtles so that their future in Texas is a secure one.

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Since 2018 we have focused on studying various populations of alligator snapping turtles in Texas. Our current study sites are in Cherokee, Hardin, Liberty and Tarrant counties.  All of our sites involve cooperation from businesses, communities and private land owners. We are the first organization to encourage and utilize private citizen involvement to not only enhance the conservation of but the research efficacy necessary to better understand these amazing turtles.  About 98% of the land in Texas is privately owned. This in itself provides a strong level of 'built in' protection for many alligator snapping turtle populations and opportunities for long term studies. 

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We provide the highest level of professional experience available for turtle surveys and routinely work with our supportive partners from the

Golf Center of Arlington, Green Oaks North Veterinary Clinic, the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, the River Legacy Foundation, Sea Life Aquarium in Grapevine, Dallas Zoo, the University of Houston at Clearlake, the Charlie Moorcroft Foundation and the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research.

Our research focus with this species includes population monitoring at all of our study sites.  This includes all specimens (when size appropriate) being marked with an identification transponder.  At our study site in Hardin County we are also documenting the reproductive condition of females by using blood chemistry analysis and ultrasound diagnostics. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have published on a variety of topics pertaining to alligator snappers including: urban populations (Munscher, et al. 2018), defensive behaviors (Franklin, et al. 2019), morphology (Franklin, et al. 2019), diet analysis (Franklin and Ricardez, 2021), human threats (Shook, et al., 2023), local ecological knowledge (Gordon, et al., 2023), diurnal behavior (Franklin, et al., 2023), the first documentation of reproduction in Texas (Franklin, et al., 2023), variation of tongue lure coloration (Glorioso, et al., 2023), age related cataracts and maximum documented size of females (Franklin, et al., 2021). 

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We are permitted by Texas Parks and Wildlife to capture alligator snappers for the purpose of recording data, dietary analysis, obtaining blood and tissue samples, marking with an internal transponder and salvaging deceased specimens. Should you encounter the remains of an alligator snapping turtle in the wild we would like to know. The salvage of a deceased turtle is an important source of research material. 

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Currently we are assisted by businesses, landowners, citizen scientists and skilled staff, students and volunteers from the Golf Center of Arlington, Green Oaks North Veterinary Clinic, the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, the River Legacy Foundation, Sea Life Aquarium in Grapevine, Dallas Zoo, the University of Houston at Clearlake, the Charlie Moorcroft Foundation and the Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research.

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We are Texans enthusiastically proud of the rich biodiversity in our state. It is not only our pleasure to work with these amazing turtles but an honor. Your tax-deductible donation or purchase of merchandise goes entirely to the cost of our field work.  

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                                             Texas Turtles’ AST publications (2009-present)

 

Franklin, C.J. 2018. Graptemys sabinensis (Sabine Map Turtle). Predation. Herpetological Review 49(1):107–108.

 

Franklin, C.J. and E.A.P. Catalan. 2009. Geographic distribution: Macrochelys temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle). Herpetological Review 40(1):110.

 

Franklin, C.J., A. Brinker, and V. Ricardez. 2018. Macrochelys temminckii (Western Alligator Snapping Turtle) – Defensive Behavior. Herpetological Review 49(3):528.

 

Franklin, C.J., V. Ricardez, N. Peterson, and M. Aldecoa. 2020. Macrochelys temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle) – Caudal Prehensility. Herpetological Review 51(3):578—579.

 

Franklin, C. J. and V. Ricardez. 2021. Macrochelys temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle) – Lenticular opacity. Herpetological Review 52(2):393.

 

Franklin, C.J., V. Ricardez, and S. Scibetta. 2021. Macrochelys temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle) – Diet. Herpetological Review 52(4):847. 

 

Munscher, E., J. Gray, A. Tuggle, D. B. Ligon, V. Gladkaya, C. Franklin, C. Drake, V. Ricardez, B. P. Butterfield, K. Norrid, and A. Walde. 2020. Discovery of an Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) Population in Metropolitan Houston, Harris County, Texas. Urban Naturalist No. 32.

                                                                     Texas Turtle’s AST publications in review or in press

 

Franklin, C.J., V. Ricardez, S. Scibetta, D. Rosenbaum, and J.B. Grizzle.  In review. Diurnal Observations of Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii). Submitted for review to Southeastern Naturalist Macrochelys special issue. In review. 

 

Franklin, C.J., V. Ricardez, S. Scibetta, R. Belue, K. Sardinia, and A. White. In press. Macrochelys temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle) – Reproduction. Herpetological Review.

 

Glorioso, B.M., J.L. Carr, C.J. Franklin, M. Gordon, A. Johnson, E. Kessler, E. Munscher, L.S. Pearson, V. Ricardez, and Arron Tuggle. Accepted. Condition and Coloration of Lingual Lures of Alligator Snapping Turtles. Accepted to Southeastern Naturalist Macrochelys special issue.

 

Gordon, M., D.R. Bontrager, J. Watson, T. Corbett, C. Crawford, C.J. Franklin, B. Kirby, E. Munscher, V. Ricardez, and A. Tuggle. In review. Using Local Ecological Knowledge to Document Distribution and Temporal Patterns of Macrochelys temminckii in Texas. Submitted for review to Southeastern Naturalist Macrochelys special issue.

 

Shook, A.K., C.D. Battaglia, K.M. Enge, C.J. Franklin, J.C. Godwin, A.C. Johnson, E.J. Kessler, E. Munscher, K. Norrid, L. Pearson, V. Ricardez, D.J. Stevenson, T.M. Thomas, and J.L. Carr. In review. Direct and indirect anthropogenic threats to megafaunal chelydrid turtles, with a focus on the Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii). Submitted for review to Southeastern Naturalist Macrochelys special issue.

 

                                                              Texas Turtle’s AST presentations and outreach (non-peer reviewed)

 

Animal Planet. 2019. Brave the Wild: Searching For A Record Breaking Alligator Snapping Turtle In Texas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfzuatb2JHU&t=471s

 

Brave Wilderness. 2020. Face Off with a Giant Turtle!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srio_ncdiYk

 

Garcia, K., M. Gordon, E. Munscher, A. Tuggle, C.J. Franklin, V. Ricardez, and G. Guillen. 2022. Do Anthropogenic Stressors Affect Distribution of Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) in Texas? Preliminary Study Design. Oral presentation to the 125th Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science (Houston, Texas).