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Turtles that sniff out human corpses
Snapping turtles are freshwater turtles that live in the
Americas. There are three species: the Alligator, Common,
and Florida Snapping Turtles. The Alligator snapping turtle
is the largest of the North American freshwater turtles. It
may be up to 60 cm long and weigh 90 kg!
Snapping Turtles have large heads which cannot be withdrawn
into the small shell. They rely on their strong jaws for
defense and can bite hard if disturbed. They live in
stagnant ponds, swamps and slow-running rivers. Since the
Alligator Snapping Turtle lives mainly on fish, it is
slaughtered by fishermen and is now on the endangered list.
Common Snapping Turtles can sniff out carrion (dead animals),
which they add to their diet of plants, small birds and
fish. They are so fearless and aggressive that on occasion,
they have been known to attack swimmers. Because of their
unique ability to detect dead and rotting flesh, Common
Snapping Turtles have been used to help police search for
human corpses!
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