How to Draw an Alligator Snapping Turtle

In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw an Alligator Snapping Turtle in 8 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.

The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.

Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.

At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Alligator Snapping Turtle.

Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.

How to Draw an Alligator Snapping Turtle - Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: To start your turtle you will need to begin with the head, which is basically a triangle with even sides.

Step 2: Next add the face by drawing a circle for an eye and two lips for the mouth.

Step 4: To draw the pattern on the carapace, draw different sizes of squares to form the above pattern.

Step 5: The next part to draw is the front foot. To create the foot, draw a triangle containing three angled and one arced line to create the details. Add a few straight lines to represent the claws.

Step 6: The plastron is the next part to draw. To draw this, add three tiled pieces similar to the ones on the carapace.

Step 7: Next you will need to draw the back end and the back flipper. To draw you will start with an angled line coming down from the back of the carapace down and back up to the plastron. Add three thin triangles to form the claws at the bottom and draw lines to create the separation of the rear part and the flipper as shown above.

Step 8: Finally, you will need to draw the tail. To draw the tail make a long triangle coming out from the rear of the turtle. Add triangles along the top to create the spikes. You have now drawn your Alligator Snapping Turtle.

Interesting Facts about the ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE

The Alligator Snapping Turtle is a member of the reptile family and the scientific term for them is Macrochelys temminckii. This species gets its name because it ambushes and snaps down on animals in or near the water.This animal lives in the southeastern United States, and only a pregnant female will come out onto the land. This is the largest freshwater turtle in the world.

Did you know?

  • The animal was first documented in 1835.
  • This species grows to over 400 pounds in weight.
  • They can reach up to 200 years in age.
  • The most amount of eggs that they can make is 50.
  • They can grow up to almost 3 feet long.

It is a large turtle with a heavy head, a thick back with three dorsal ridges of short spikes on its plated shell. They are solid grey, brown, black, or olive-green in color, and often covered with algae. Under water, they lure fish with a worm-like tongue, snapping down when the fish or another turtle comes near enough; it can actually bite through a broom handle. Since there are so few of these creatures, they are vulnerable to extinction.

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