NEW ORLEANS -- It's a marvelously ugly beast, with spiked and ridged armor, a sharply hooked beak, a fishing lure in its mouth and a nasty bite. But the alligator snapping turtle's hard shell holds ...

Some historians have suggested the giant turtle reported in 1948 was an alligator snapping turtle, pictured here. Other experts disagree with this theory. Illustration by Emily Lankiewicz / DeAgostini ...

Alligator snapping turtles are the biggest freshwater turtle in North America, sporting jagged, pointy shells, and a hooked beak. But these prehistoric-looking creatures haven't been seen in Kansas ...

Alligator snapping turtles, like the one seen in this file photo, were classified as endangered in Kansas in 1974. The state has begun a reintroduction program to bring the creatures back to Kansas ...

Guess whose teeth are like razor blades? Nature center preschoolers learn snap judgment Jim Spinale, 91, is a retired science teacher who volunteers at the So. Shore YMCA Nature Center. His snapping ...

This week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced in a press release that a prehistoric species of turtle native to Florida is officially a federally threatened species under the Endangered ...

Snapping turtles often get a bad reputation for their hooked jaws and rugged appearance. They look like creatures built only for defense, but the truth is far more interesting. These reptiles have ...