[va-bird] Re: Canada Goose and Snapping Turtle
- From: "Stephen Living" <Stephen.Living@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <heron329@xxxxxxx>,<va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 08 Sep 2006 15:53:33 -0400
To speak of snapping turtles as primarily vegetarian may be overstating the
case somewhat. Young animals tend to be primarily carnivorous. Adults become
much more omnivorous - with plant material constituting a significant portion
of their diet. Snappers seem to eat whatever they can catch and swallow.
Stephen Living
Virginia Dept. of Game & Inland Fisheries
Wildlife Diversity Division
Watchable Wildlife Biologist
3909 Airline Blvd.
Chesapeake, VA 23321
cell:757.409.2725
fax:757.465.6843
stephen.living@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<heron329@xxxxxxx> 9/8/2006 3:39 PM >>>
Snappers are primarily vegetarian? I have seen them clear a whole pond of
ducklings by grasping the feet and pulling them under. The also eat fish. Why
would they need such powerful jaws if they were primarily vegetarian?
Margaret O'Bryan
-----Original Message-----
From: WEalding@xxxxxxx
To: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Fri, 8 Sep 2006 9:59 AM
Subject: [va-bird] Canada Goose and Snapping Turtle
Thanks to all of you who responded to my post about the Snapping Turtle
feeding on the Canada Goose carcass. We rechecked the area this morning and saw
no sign of the remnants; they could have drifted off in the current from the
feeder stream or just sunk. The majority opinion was that the turtle was
scavenging, and that snappers are primarily vegetarian. Interestingly, we
met a neighbor this morning who told us that her husband had seen a snapper
attempting to drown an adult duck in the same location. He beat on the turtle
with an oar and the duck managed to get away, although she didn't know the
outcome. Wendy Ealding Chesterfield County
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