ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE: This primitive looking animal is a giant among freshwater turtles. The world's largest, it has often been called the dinosaur of the turtle world. With its over-sized head, sharp, powerful jaws and ridged, alligator-like shell, it's easy to see why. It lives in the swamps, lakes, lagoons and rivers of the southeastern United States, where it hunts fish, frogs, snakes, snails, worms, crayfish, clams and even other turtles. It lives its entire life in water — only females emerge briefly to nest their young. It can stay submerged for up to 50 minutes at a time, often resting under a log or root during the day. The alligator snapping turtle is so sedentary that algae typically grows on its irregular shell and head, which makes it look like a large rock to unwary fish. Lying very still and quiet, the turtle will open its jaws and wiggle a pink, worm-like lure at the bottom of its mouth to attract prey. When an animal comes to investigate, the turtle snaps its jaws, engulfing, slicing in half or impaling the prey. At night, the turtle is more active, walking slowly along the bottom in search of prey.