‘Chonkosaurus,’ plump Chicago snapping turtle captured on video, goes viral

[JacksinPA]

'Chonkosaurus,' plump Chicago snapping turtle captured on video, goes viral

Footage of a plump snapping turtle relaxing along a Chicago waterway has gone viral after the man who filmed the well-fed reptile marveled at its size and nicknamed it “Chonkosaurus.” Joey Santore was kayaking with a friend along the Chicago River last weekend when they spotted the large...

apnews.com

CHICAGO (AP) — Footage of a plump snapping turtle relaxing along a Chicago waterway has gone viral after the man who filmed the well-fed reptile marveled at its size and nicknamed it “Chonkosaurus.”

Joey Santore was kayaking with a friend along the Chicago River last weekend when they spotted the large snapping turtle sitting atop a large chain draped over what appear to be rotting logs.

He posted a jumpy video of the turtle on Twitter, labeling it the “Chicago River Snapper aka Chonkosaurus.”
=====================================
It apparently eats well, but doesn't Chicago dump its waste into this river?

 

[Jessie C]

'Chonkosaurus,' plump Chicago snapping turtle captured on video, goes viral

Footage of a plump snapping turtle relaxing along a Chicago waterway has gone viral after the man who filmed the well-fed reptile marveled at its size and nicknamed it “Chonkosaurus.” Joey Santore was kayaking with a friend along the Chicago River last weekend when they spotted the large...

apnews.com

CHICAGO (AP) — Footage of a plump snapping turtle relaxing along a Chicago waterway has gone viral after the man who filmed the well-fed reptile marveled at its size and nicknamed it “Chonkosaurus.”

Joey Santore was kayaking with a friend along the Chicago River last weekend when they spotted the large snapping turtle sitting atop a large chain draped over what appear to be rotting logs.

He posted a jumpy video of the turtle on Twitter, labeling it the “Chicago River Snapper aka Chonkosaurus.”
=====================================
It apparently eats well, but doesn't Chicago dump its waste into this river?

Great thread! I've never seen a turtle so fat he outgrew his shell! He must have an endless smorgasbord in that river!

 

[LouC]

Great thread! I've never seen a turtle so fat he outgrew his shell! He must have an endless smorgasbord in that river!

They suspected-speculated "he" was a pregnant "she".

They also mentioned alligator snapping turtles in Illinois, in stories I read about this find, we used to eat those as a kid, Pa Akers would catch them down in the Kaskaskia River bottoms and in Beaver Creek and Shoal Creek all down in Clinton County.

Biggest one Pa Akers ever caught was a 54 pound one he hit with his pickup truck down south of Pelican Pouch when the Kaskaskia was out of its banks and flooding the river bottoms farm lands.

I had no idea until this "chonkosaurus" story came out, and I was perusing the series of tubes about turtles I had encountered as a kid in Illinois, that the alligator snapping turtles had nearly gone extinct in the wilds of Illinois rivers and creeks and lakes?!

Team finds first wild alligator snapping turtle in Illinois since 1984 – News Bureau

news.illinois.edu

I must admit, the Sunday turtle dinners Sophie would cook up with Pa's catches were delicious, but I had no idea until just now that I was helping to extinguish a species!!!

I feel real bad!

 

[Jessie C]

They suspected-speculated "he" was a pregnant "she".

They also mentioned alligator snapping turtles in Illinois, in stories I read about this find, we used to eat those as a kid, Pa Akers would catch them down in the Kaskaskia River bottoms and in Beaver Creek and Shoal Creek all down in Clinton County.

Biggest one Pa Akers ever caught was a 54 pound one he hit with his pickup truck down south of Pelican Pouch when the Kaskaskia was out of its banks and flooding the river bottoms farm lands.

I had no idea until this "chonkosaurus" story came out, and I was perusing the series of tubes about turtles I had encountered as a kid in Illinois, that the alligator snapping turtles had nearly gone extinct in the wilds of Illinois rivers and creeks and lakes?!

Team finds first wild alligator snapping turtle in Illinois since 1984 – News Bureau

news.illinois.edu

I must admit, the Sunday turtle dinners Sophie would cook up with Pa's catches were delicious, but I had no idea until just now that I was helping to extinguish a species!!!

I feel real bad!

I could never eat certain things like turtle or rabbit or frog legs,, and my 2 grand children are vegetarians and they silently judge me when I eat meat, so I don't much anymore!

You made me feel better about this fat turtle! I hope it is a she and she is full of eggs....Oy Vie, that would be a lot of eggs.... not so sure.....

 

[iguanaman]

'Chonkosaurus,' plump Chicago snapping turtle captured on video, goes viral

Footage of a plump snapping turtle relaxing along a Chicago waterway has gone viral after the man who filmed the well-fed reptile marveled at its size and nicknamed it “Chonkosaurus.” Joey Santore was kayaking with a friend along the Chicago River last weekend when they spotted the large...

apnews.com

CHICAGO (AP) — Footage of a plump snapping turtle relaxing along a Chicago waterway has gone viral after the man who filmed the well-fed reptile marveled at its size and nicknamed it “Chonkosaurus.”

Joey Santore was kayaking with a friend along the Chicago River last weekend when they spotted the large snapping turtle sitting atop a large chain draped over what appear to be rotting logs.

He posted a jumpy video of the turtle on Twitter, labeling it the “Chicago River Snapper aka Chonkosaurus.”
=====================================
It apparently eats well, but doesn't Chicago dump its waste into this river?

That is one old turtle. Turtles are one of the few animal species that have no set age limit and their cells can keep replacing themselves forever. The rest of us have cells that stop replacing themselves which eventually kills us.

 

[Jessie C]

That is one old turtle. Turtles are one of the few animal species that have no set age limit and their cells can keep replacing themselves forever. The rest of us have cells that stop replacing themselves which eventually kills us.

Is that it? Seriously, is this a very old turtle? I've never seen anything like this!

 

[LouC]

I could never eat certain things like turtle or rabbit or frog legs,, and my 2 grand children are vegetarians and they silently judge me when I eat meat, so I don't much anymore!

That is OK too. I was 99.876% vegetarian for a couple years out in California. Buy now when I eat meat it is sparingly. My favorite is still fried chicken at times.

You made me feel better about this fat turtle!

Good.
She was quite a discovery!
She obviously knows what she is doing.

I hope it is a she and she is full of eggs....

It would be the time of year for that.

Oy Vie, that would be a lot of eggs.... not so sure.....

Think small sea turtle, but with a nasty attitude, and a mouth that could clip your thumb off like a sharp knife lopping a sausage in two, if you disturbed her filling her egg clutch burrow.

Unlike alligator moms, alligator snappers, and regular snapping turtles don't hang around to protect their eggs, which is why it is estimated that 90% of nests are destroyed by hungry predators.

 

[Jessie C]

That is OK too. I was 99.876% vegetarian for a couple years out in California. Buy now when I eat meat it is sparingly. My favorite is still fried chicken at times.

Good.
She was quite a discovery!
She obviously knows what she is doing.

It would be the time of year for that.

Think small sea turtle, but with a nasty attitude, and a mouth that could clip your thumb off like a sharp knife lopping a sausage in two, if you disturbed her filling her egg clutch burrow.

Unlike alligator moms, alligator snappers, and regular snapping turtles don't hang around to protect their eggs, which is why it is estimated that 90% of nests are destroyed by hungry predators.

I'm more a chicken and fish person than red meat. Plus I'm a heart patient so it's way better! So this really is a female full of eggs? I will sleep well tonight knowing that.

I love animals.

More than most humans! And I'm proud of it.

 

[LouC]

Is that it? Seriously, is this a very old turtle? I've never seen anything like this!

The common snapping turtle can live 30 to 40 years and can weigh up to 70 pounds.

The rare alligator snapping turtle can live up to 70 years and weigh in as much as 240 pounds.

 

[LouC]

I'm more a chicken and fish person than red meat. Plus I'm a heart patient so it's way better! So this really is a female full of eggs? I will sleep well tonight knowing that.

I love animals.

More than most humans! And I'm proud of it.

A much smaller snapper about 20 pound range can lay 20 to 40 eggs at a time.

 

[Superfly]

'Chonkosaurus,' plump Chicago snapping turtle captured on video, goes viral

Footage of a plump snapping turtle relaxing along a Chicago waterway has gone viral after the man who filmed the well-fed reptile marveled at its size and nicknamed it “Chonkosaurus.” Joey Santore was kayaking with a friend along the Chicago River last weekend when they spotted the large...

apnews.com

CHICAGO (AP) — Footage of a plump snapping turtle relaxing along a Chicago waterway has gone viral after the man who filmed the well-fed reptile marveled at its size and nicknamed it “Chonkosaurus.”

Joey Santore was kayaking with a friend along the Chicago River last weekend when they spotted the large snapping turtle sitting atop a large chain draped over what appear to be rotting logs.

He posted a jumpy video of the turtle on Twitter, labeling it the “Chicago River Snapper aka Chonkosaurus.”
=====================================
It apparently eats well, but doesn't Chicago dump its waste into this river?

Somebody found TurtleDude?

 

[LouC]

Somebody found TurtleDude?

"Does this shell make my butt look fat?"

 

[Superfly]

"Does this shell make my butt look fat?"