A young man required stitches after an ill-advised attempt to kiss an alligator snapping turtle ended in a painful bite. The man, who had apparently intended to bid the turtle farewell before releasing it back into the wild, was caught off guard when the creature suddenly attacked, clamping down on his lip with its powerful jaws.
The turtle’s grip was so strong that it took several minutes before it finally released, leaving the man in need of medical attention. He was promptly taken to the hospital, where he received stitches for his injury.
Alligator snapping turtles, primarily found in the waters of the southeastern United States, are known for their aggressive nature and opportunistic feeding habits. These turtles are predominantly carnivorous and will eat almost anything they can catch.
Their diet mainly consists of fish and fish carcasses, often discarded by fishermen, as well as mollusks, carrion, and amphibians. They have also been observed consuming snakes, crayfish, worms, water birds, aquatic plants, and even other turtles.
In some cases, they may prey on aquatic rodents like nutrias and muskrats or seize small to mid-sized mammals, including squirrels, opossums, raccoons, and armadillos.
And, as this unfortunate incident shows, they may also take a snap at human lips.