Fate of overwintered clutches of the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) in Algonquin Park, Ontario

Obbard, Martyn E.,and Ronald J. Brooks.1981 Fate of overwintered clutches of the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) in Algonquin Park, Ontario.Canadian Field-Naturalist 95(3): 350-352.The frequency of successful overwintering of Common Snapping Turtle (Chel/ydra serpentina) clutches in Algonquin Park, Ontario, is very low.In a 4-yr study, 42 of 257 clutches emerged in the fall of the year of oviposition.Of the 215 clutches that did not emerge in fall, only | overwintered successfully.This low success of overwintering clutches may be animportant factor limiting the northern distribution of the Common Snapping Turtle.