According to the Missouri Department of Conservation ... He thought it was a box turtle—it was a snapping turtle! How he got it home without losing fingers is beyond me. It was a big one!” ...

But recent population surveys show the turtles are now likely extirpated in Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee. Historically, the alligator snapping turtle was considered a single ...

Early in the 20th century, alligator snapping turtles were plentiful in river systems draining ... the species’ range has since contracted in Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and ...