Sudbury biologists find giant snapping turtle, name him ‘Snappy Pants’

SUDBURY — At a whopping 10.5 kg, Snappy Pants is the largest snapping turtle Junction Creek Stewardship Committee field biologists have discovered in Greater Sudbury thus far.

The turtle, whose shell length is 33 centimetres, was found in a shallow marsh in Garson, and the committee has been studying turtles for the past decade.

The moniker Snappy Pants was selected in an online naming competition. 

Alessio Foladore came up with the name, aided by his step brother, Kelly Beauchamp.

Snappy Pants is a male, and Junction Creek Stewardship Committee executive director Miranda Virtanen said he is “easily a couple decades old.”

The turtle was weighed, measured, notched so biologists can keep track of him, and returned to the marsh.

In response to news of Snappy Pants’ discovery breaking on social media Monday, people took to the Garson Falconbridge Community Action Network page to share stories about him.

While some people reported seeing him before, one commenter said they’d helped him cross the road, and referred to him as “Garson’s old guy.”

The turtle was discovered during the committee’s turtle survey, which was funded by the federal government this spring and continued using committee funds this summer. Between two and eight people have been taking part in the survey, including placement students from Cambrian College.

“We’re building knowledge about the different species of turtles and where they're living in the Junction Creek watershed,” Virtanen said, adding that the data they collect factors into where conservation efforts are focused.

“We’re finding them in the streams and wetlands connected to Junction Creek,” she said. “They’re using Junction Creek as a corridor for going between these wetlands.”

Various turtles are species at risk in Ontario, including the threatened Blanding’s Turtle, which Virtanen said has been making a resurgence in Junction Creek. 

Preserving adult turtles is of particular importance, she said, noting that although turtles live for a long time, it can take several years for them to reach sexual maturity. As such, any loss of mature turtles can have a significant impact on their species’ population in the region.

Snapping turtles like Snappy Pants, for example, can live to approximately 100 years of age, and take 15 to 20 years to reach sexual maturity. 

“They play a really important role in the ecosystem and wetlands,” Virtanen said, adding that people can do their part to preserve turtles.

People can help turtle preservation efforts by downloading the iNaturalist app to make note of sightings, and help turtles cross the road in the direction they’re going when it’s safe to do so.

Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.