Shala Holm, a Buffalo, Minnesota native, had a thrilling encounter with a snapping turtle while on vacation with her family at Nieмeyer’s Rugged Riʋer Resort near Brainerd last summer. The encounter occurred while she was kayaking with her daughter in a tandem kayak.

While on the water, Shala’s daughter suddenly heard something breathing and urged her mother to be quiet. When Shala turned to look for the source of the noise, she was surprised to see the massive snapping turtle approaching their kayak and heading towards a fish basket hanging from it.

The turtle had large claws and a Godzilla-like head, and its size was evident from the picture that went viral on social media recently. Shala’s daughter managed to capture the image of the turtle with her phone, and it has since become a sᴇɴsᴀтιoɴ.

It is not clear how large the turtle was, but it was certainly larger than most snapping turtles. Snapping turtles are known to be ᴀԍԍʀᴇssιvᴇ, and their powerful jaws can cause sᴇʀιous ιɴנuʀʏ. Shala and her daughter were lucky to have escaped unharmed.

Shala and her daughter were startled when the snapping turtle approached their fish basket and clawed onto it. They managed to scare it off by shaking the basket until it swam away. The next day, they returned to the same spot to see if they could catch a photo of the turtle. They passed the time by catching fish until the turtle returned, and they were able to get a close look at it from their kayak.

Although they were not certain about the turtle’s exact size, they estimated that its legs were roughly the size of Shala’s wrists. According to the state Department of Natural Resources, adult snapping turtles usually measure 8 to 14 inches long and weigh between 10 to 35 pounds. The ʟᴀʀԍᴇsт snapping turtle ever recorded in Minnesota weighed an impressive 65 pounds.

Shala sent the picture of the turtle to the Department of Natural Resources to learn more about it. They estimated that the turtle was at least 15 years old but could be as old as 30. Snapping turtles are known for their longevity, and they can live for more than 100 years in the wild.

It’s good to hear that snapping turtles are not considered ᴅᴀɴԍᴇʀous according to Erica Hoaglund, a regional nongame wildlife specialist with the Minnesota DNR. It’s important to remember that they are reacting defensively when they feel threatened, and they will not ᴀттᴀcκ unless provoked. They are usually calm in the water and may try to look more ғʀιԍнтᴇɴιɴԍ on land where they feel vulnerable. Snapping turtles prefer to avoid encounters and will hide or flee if given the opportunity.

It’s also interesting to note that the witness to the large turtle in question, Holm, has expressed no ғᴇᴀʀ and plans on returning to the resort to find the turtle again. It’s great to see people appreciate and respect wildlife.