Florida Trappers Catch New Species Of Monster-Sized Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtles

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GAINESVILLE (CBSMiami) – A 100-pound Suwannee alligator snapping turtle, a new species that lives in the Suwanee River, was among three of the massive reptiles recently captured by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

According to a FWC Facebook post, a 100-pound male, a 64-pound male and a 46-pound female were found in traps set in the New River, a 31-mile-long tributary of the Santa Fe River, north of Gainesville.

"The New River is a blackwater stream with low biological productivity, so finding a large turtle in such a small stream is unusual," said the Facebook post.

(left) 46-pound female Suwannee alligator snapping turtle, (right) 64-pound male Suwannee alligator snapping turtle, (Source: Facebook/FWC Fish & Wildlife Research Institute)

FWC added it is collaborating with researchers in Florida and Georgia on the new species, "to document the distribution and relative abundance of this state threatened species."

100-pound male Suwannee alligator snapping turtle, Macrochelys suwanniensis. (Source: Facebook/FWC Fish & Wildlife Research Institute)

FWC believes the turtles are between 40-80 years old.