Snapping Turtle Terrapin-lover Gift Ceramic Tree Decoration

Cool Snapping Turtle artwork by Skye Ryan-Evans, created for all you fun-loving Turtle supporters out there. Remember especially in Turtle breeding areas to drive safely to protect these adorable terrapins from road accidents. It can also do a great deal of damage to your car should you run into them, so that's another good reason slow down and safely avoid them on our roads. "The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a large freshwater turtle of the family Chelydridae. Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada, southwest to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, as far east as Nova Scotia and Florida and as far southwest as northeastern Mexico. This species and the larger alligator snapping turtle are the only two species in this family found in North America (though the common snapping turtle, as its name implies, is much more widespread).[2] Common snappers are noted for their belligerent disposition when out of the water, their powerful beak-like jaws, and their highly mobile head and neck (hence the specific name "serpentina", meaning "snake-like"). In some areas they are hunted very heavily for their meat, a popular ingredient in turtle soup. These turtles have lived for up to 47 years in captivity, while the lifespan of wild individuals is estimated to be around 30 years. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_snapping_turtle