Alligator snapping turtles are found predominantly in the watershed of the Mississippi River in the United States, ranging through the states of Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and in southeastern Iowa, western Tennessee, western Kentucky, eastern Texas, northwestern and southwestern Georgia, and northern Florida. They are also found in the Missouri River at least as far north as the Gavins Point Dam at Yankton, South Dakota.

Although rare further north, the alligator snapping turtle has been found as far north as the southern tip of Ontario in Canada. There is a population of them within a swamp near Glencoe, Ontario. It was confirmed by researchers from the University of Western Ontario who investigated claims of a dead 48 inch/125 cm (nose to tail) turtle that was hit during the evening on a highway near the swamp. They were confirmed to be alligator snapping turtles, with at least eight that are fully mature in the relatively small swamp and creek.[citation needed]

HABITS:

Like the common snapping turtle, the alligator snapping turtle lives in a primarily aquatic environment, such as slow-moving streams, lakes, or swamps. Typically only nesting females will venture onto land. Alligator snappers are capable of staying submerged for as long as 50 minutes at a time.

USES:

Babies are mainly for the pet trade. Adult wild caught specimen are sometimes sold for food. Louisiana is the only state it is legal to take Alligator Snapping turtle from the wild. Thought numbers are dwindling there. Babies are sometimes sold to China where they are raised to a pound and then frozen to later be eaten.

CULTURE:

I know of 2 maybe 3 Alligator Snapping turtle farms turtle farms. One is in Strafford MO, One in Biscoe, AR and I think one in Dermont, AR. Ponds with metal fencing are used for the rearing of turtles. A little land area is usually available so that the turtles can lay eggs. Though some turtles are injected with medicine that will make it lay the eggs.

REFERENCES

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/slider/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator_snapping_turtle/

http://www.chelydra.org/

www.turtlesales.com

www.turtleman.com