GAINESVILLE (WSVN) — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission researchers made an interesting find last week.
The FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute announced the capture of a 100-pound Suwannee alligator snapping turtle in the New River, north of Gainesville.
The turtle is part of a new species that the FWC helped describe in 2014.
Along with the 100-pound male, researches said a 46-pound female was also caught in the trap. A 64-pound male was also caught in a separate trap.
Researchers said it is unusual to find such a large turtle in the stream since it is low with biological productivity.
FWC said they are working with other researchers in Florida and Georgia to document the distribution and relative abundance of the threatened species.
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