Dead turtle needs identification

[bachelorsgrove]

There is a very small pond that I have been visiting for about 10 years that I never saw any turtles in. This year there were two of them with shells about a foot long. I couldn't get a photograph of the big ones but I came across a much smaller turtle weeks later that ended up being dead. Again, I never see turtles in this pond and I am thinking that this is part of the offspring of the larger ones?

Can anyone please help me identify the turtle in the photographs below? The geographic location of the turtle in the photograph is from the southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, USA.

 

[dmmj]

Looks like a mud or (stinkpot) turtle to me, but I could be wrong.

 

[Millerlite]

isnt it like a common snapper, or something..

 

[egyptiandan]

Good call Kyle It is a Common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina serpentina

Danny

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Bachelorsgrove:

to the forum!

Its sad that the young snapper died. But if there was one, there are probably a few more in the pond. They are pretty much aquatic and don't bask hardly at all, so you probably wouldn't see them often. They just lay on the bottom and wait for some unsuspecting food to swim or walk by them. You might occasionally see one basking. Do you keep any turtles or tortoises?

Yvonne