Hidden Danger
Turtle species on campus consist mostly of painted turtles who are docile, small, colorful, and overall cute. But sometimes a giant form can be spotted moving beneath the surface. We have 3 known common snapping turtles on campus: one in Lake Jonah, one in Kingswood Lake, and one in the Japanese Gardens. These turtles, while intimidating, are skittish and prefer to be left alone, and it doesn't hurt to admire these ancient looking animals from afar.
Ecosystem Health
Common snapping turtles can live up to 50 years, and the health of major predators in an ecosystem is very telling on how the entire system is doing. Spring of 2026, I found a dead adult snapping turtle near the Japanese Gardens, not yet decaying, with no obvious injuries. While old age can take snapping turtles' lives, the death of major, long living predators can also point to stressors in an ecosystem, like algal blooms and run off.
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