Alligator snapping turtles are back in Kansas, what to know

TOPEKA ( KSNT ) – A species of big turtles, long gone from Kansas, are now back after a 30-year hiatus.

Staff with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks ( KDWP ) released a batch of alligator snapping turtles back into their native home range in the Neosho River on Thursday, Sept. 12 . Aquatic Species Recovery Coordinator with the KDWP, Trevor Starks, told 27 News in a written response the turtles were dropped off at four locations along the river in the hopes the species will reestablish itself in the Sunflower State.

“The release went great,” Starks said. “We had a plan for how we thought things should go and everything went according to plan.”

The KDWP’s Aquatic Species Recovery Program has been working to return the alligator snapping turtle to the state for years as part of its mission to reintroduce species back to Kansas that are extinct at the local level. Now, thanks to the efforts of Starks, KDWP staff and Missouri State University, 40 of the turtles are swimming freely and exploring their new home.

Alligator snapping turtles were once common in the Verdigris and Neosho Rivers in Kansas but, by 1991, were largely missing from the state. Kansas represents the northwesternmost reach of the turtles’ home range in the U.S. with the majority being found in states like Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Missouri, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife ( FWS ).

Starks said chances are most people will not even notice the turtles that have been placed in the Neosho River. Each one has a radio tag to help the KDWP monitor their progress and location.

“It is unlikely one will be encountered,” Starks said. “They spend a majority of their time in the water and as these are younger animals, they shouldn’t be exiting the water to dig nests any time soon.”

People who do encounter an alligator snapping turtle in the wild are encouraged to note the location with GPS coordinates from I-maps or Google Maps. You can then pass the information on to Starks at trevor.starks@ks.gov or KDWP Wildlife Diversity Coordinator Daren Riedle at daren.riedle@ks.gov.

“As you will see from the pictures, each turtle was outfitted with two external tags for tracking them,” Starks said. “These tags are very obvious so there should be no doubt when identifying them if you happen to see one. Please do not attempt to handle the turtle.”

Alligator snapping turtles are known for their most prominent characteristics which separate them from the common snapping turtles which are abundant in many areas in Kansas. Their large, ridged shells and ability to grow to big sizes help alligator snapping turtles stand out.

“I was very excited and grateful to have a small part in helping return a part of our state’s natural heritage back to Kansas waters,” Starks said. “It is hard to tell at this point whether releases will be a success or not, but I am optimistic based on the work that has happened in Oklahoma that this species will thrive in the Neosho River again.”

Starks said more turtles will be released in the fall next year. To learn more about the Kansas Aquatic Species Recovery Program, click here. To learn more about program specifics on alligator snapping turtles, click here .

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