Snapping turtles are not the kind of animal that most people think of as “cute” with their funnel-shaped noses, thick, warty bodies, and armored tails. Box turtles are cute. Sea turtles are adorable.

On a sunny afternoon in late July, I spotted this turtle walking slowly across a grassy pond levee. This is a native water turtle called the common snapping turtle. It is our second-largest snapping ...

Turtles aren’t known for their speed. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite. (Slow and steady wins the race and all that.) But one type of turtle is actually incredibly quick, at least with its ...