K & P Fauna - SNAPPING TURTLE
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
ABOUT THESE CACHES:
We so enjoyed putting out the K & P Ticket series, that we thought we would continue along the trail. This time, the theme is the fauna. If you see any of the animals, birds or reptiles mentioned, please feel free to take pictures and post them at the appropriate cache – but please, for a change, NO PHOTOS OF EACH CACHE (sure, the log if you have to).
BIKING is possible for the whole trail, though one little section (near White Tailed Deer) is rough, so you may need to walk it – depending on your bike tire size. This trail is NOT recommended for thin tires!
If you don’t see any fauna, then you are caching way too fast! Enjoy the ride and enjoy the habitat of so many little and big “critters”.
BONUS: At each cache in this “Fauna” series, check for a clue for two more bonus caches (GC4M5RT “K & P Fauna – BLACK CAPPED CHICKADEE, and GC4M572, “K & P Fauna – RACCOON”). Make sure to keep a note of each clue (bring paper/pen maybe?).
SNAPPING TURTLE
The snapping turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in Canada, with adults weighing between 4.6 – 16 kg. The shell is light brown to black in colour, typically covered in algae, and measures between 20-36 cm. The distinctive serrated tail is crocodilian in appearance and the same length as, or longer than, the shell. On land the snapping turtle can become defensive as they cannot pull their head or limbs into their shell, and its sharp beak and strong jaws can cause injury if harassed. When in the water, however, snapping turtles will generally swim away to escape danger and they are not known to bite swimmers.
Snapping turtles only occasionally emerge from the water to bask, yet they do not swim particularly well and are often observed walking on the bottom of water bodies. They are omnivorous and feed on various aquatic plants and invertebrates, as well as fish, frogs, snakes, small turtles, aquatic birds and relatively fresh carrion. Females reach maturity between 17-19 years of age and build nests in May or June. Snapping turtles spend much of their lives in the water, and individuals seen on land or crossing roads in spring or early summer are usually females searching for egg-laying sites. A single clutch can contain between 20-40 eggs, resembling ping-pong balls.
Snapping turtles most often inhabit slow-moving water with a soft mud or sand bottom and abundant vegetation. They prefer shallow waters so they can hide under the soft mud and leaf litter, with only their noses exposed to the surface to breathe. These turtles hibernate in the mud or silt on the bottom of lakes and rivers, usually not too far from the shore. During the nesting season, snapping turtles often take advantage of man-made structures for nest sites, including gravel shoulders along roads, dams and aggregate pits.
The snapping turtle occurs from the Maritimes west into southern Saskatchewan and parts of southern Alberta, with isolated populations in New Brunswick, though it is primarily limited to the southern part of Ontario. They are found in areas of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. The snapping turtle’s range is contracting, and the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada lists it as a species of special concern.
Snapping turtle populations are very vulnerable to threats such as road mortality, hunting and poaching. Since they can take nearly 20 years to reach maturity, the removal of even a few adult snapping turtles can pose a serious threat to the population. Snapping turtles are also long-lived – up to 70 years – and can bioaccumulate many toxins from their environment, affecting their health and ability to reproduce.
PARKING: The trail for these caches is on a 6 km stretch between Ferguslea Road near Hwy 132 (N45 26.028 W76 44.676 – the posted Coordinates for CHICKADEE) and a cross over at Pucker St. (N45 22.813 W76 45.118 – the posted coordinates for RACCOON). You may park at either end but the parking at Ferguslea is much better as there is more room for vehicles. In summer bring bug juice and water!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)