Common snapping turtle

Description:

Usually all you will see of this large freshwater turtle, infamous for its powerful jaws, is a head poking up of the water for a fleeting moment. These guys are ambush predators, and have the ability to sit still underwater, blending into the substrate, for up to 50 minutes. In other words, they spend most of the time submerged and out of sight, so I was SUPER excited when I was able to approach one underwater and snap some shots.

Habitat:

Found in Mirror lake, NH under the neighbours dock after hanging around our vicinity for several days. I was surprised at how approachable it was.