An aura of excitement filled the air near the Neosho River in Kansas on a hot September morning. State wildlife officials gathered around several large, gray bins, snapping photos and eagerly chatting. Why the excitement?
Forty, dinner-plate-sized alligator snapping turtles, about to be released into the wild.
The last known living alligator snapping turtle collected in Kansas was found in Onion Creek, a tributary of the Verdigris River in southeast Kansas said Trevor Starks, aquatic species recovery coordinator for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP).
In the 33 years since, not a single community turtle survey had identified another living alligator snapping turtle in the state, despite Kansas being within the species’ native range. That range encompasses a large chunk of the lower Mississippi River basin, stretching up from the south along the Mississippi River and many of its tributaries, such as the Arkansas River and the Red River.
While you may have seen a common snapping turtle in a local creek or pond, it’s unlikely you’ve ever encountered an alligator snapping turtle, because they are very elusive. Daren Riedle, wildlife diversity coordinator for KDWP, said while common snapping turtles are very mobile, alligator snapping turtles typically only surface from the water to lay eggs.
They are the biggest freshwater turtle in North America, sporting jagged, pointy shells, and a hooked beak. While alligator snapping turtles might get a bad rap for their frightening appearance, they provide beneficial ecological services by eating dead and dying animals, and dispersing seeds from vegetation they consume.
The turtles being released in the Neosho River range in age from about 7 to 10 years old, according to Starks. They could live to be 45, or even older, and males can weigh up to 250 pounds.
The prehistoric-looking, river-dwelling creatures’ population has been shrinking for the last several decades. This is attributed, in part, to commercial harvest of the species and the construction of dams in waterways, Starks said.
The turtles used to be hunted for their meat, which was particularly popular in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Their populations have also been threatened by exotic pet trading and poaching.
Commercial harvest is now illegal, but recreational harvest is still allowed in Louisiana and Mississippi. In 2021, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposed adding the turtles under the Endangered Species Act, which would provide it further protections, though nothing on that front has come to fruition.
Dams impede the turtles’ ability to move up and downstream, Starks said. However, Kansas officials released the turtles in a fragment of the river they believe is long enough to allow the turtles to survive, according to Starks.
“So the thought is, (those populations will be able to) sustain themselves within those fragments,” Starks said.
A regional effort to bring back an ancient species
Kansas is among several states releasing alligator snapping turtles. The turtles released this month were bred and raised at the Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery in Oklahoma, according to Starks. The hatchery has also provided turtles for reintroduction in Illinois, Tennessee, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
More than 20 years ago, Riedle collected the first wild turtles that were then used in the captive breeding program at the hatchery.
Riedle said they noticed the species was declining, and anticipated they may soon be listed as endangered. “So the whole idea (of) this release program is to be proactive. What can we do to start recovery efforts now?” he said.
The reintroduction of the turtles is part of the Kansas Aquatic Species Recovery Program, an initiative which seeks to work with private landowners to reintroduce locally extinct species to Kansas waters.
About 98% of the land in Kansas is privately owned, which means that in order for species reintroduction to occur, cooperation between the state and landowners is required.
Under Section 9 of the Endangered Species Act, it is illegal to “take” any listed species, which can mean anything from handling to species to killing it. KDWP has special permission under a permit with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which allows them to handle the species for conservation purposes.
If a landowner chooses to participate in the program, which is entirely voluntary, they are extended the same regulatory protections that are provided to KDWP. That means that if any of the endangered or protected animals on the land are disturbed or killed due to any legal practices, like farming or ranching, the landowner is not held liable.
“What’s really awesome (is the) Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is actually the first state agency to have a statewide conservation benefit agreement,” Starks said.
That means that KDWP has the authority to work in any county and water system in the state, according to Starks.
“Alligator snapping turtles, mussels, minnows — these are all just pieces of that puzzle that we want to keep intact,” Starks said.
The turtles are released with trackers so officials can monitor their progress. The hope, Riedle said, is to eventually have a first generation of wild-born turtles.
“The goal of any conservation project is to have self-sustaining, reproducing populations back in their historic distribution, where there’s still habitat present,” Riedel said. “And in our case, the Verdigris, the Neosho rivers are great.”
This story was originally published by Flatland, a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. It’s a product of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri in partnership with Report for America, with major funding from the Walton Family Foundation.
