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US Fish & Wildlife Considering Adding Alligator Snapping Turtles to Endangered List

Jared Davidson, 123rf Stock Photo

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service might add a native Kentucky animal to the endangered species list. The alligator snapping turtle, once native to this area, has decreased 95% in at least 5 states, including Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois. 

John Pollpeter, lead naturalist at the Nature Station in Land Between the Lakes, says the drop isn't because the alligator snapping turtle looking scary, but because it is tasty. 

"In the 1970's it became very popular for commercial fishermen to capture turtles, particularly snapping turtles, for different kinds of soup commercials," Pollpeter said. 

According to Pollpeter, the turtles barely breed, causing them to be listed as a threatened species. But he says they aren't completely gone from this area, but because of their habitat they might look like they aren't there at all. 

"Austin Peay used to study alligator snapping turtles in the Land Between the Lakes area. They used to radio track them." Pollpeter said. "One of the reasons most people don't see them is that they live in murky parts of the waters of Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley," 
 

Pollpeter says if resources are made available to help their increase, the turtles wouldn't need to be on the list. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has until 2020 to decide. 

Taylor is a recent Murray State University graduate where she studied journalism and history. When she's not reporting for WKMS, she enjoys creative writing and traveling. She loves writing stories that involve diversity, local culture and history, nature and recreation, art and music, and national or local politics. If you have a news tip or idea, shoot her an email at tinman1@murraystate.edu!
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