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Two YouTubers kayaking on the Chicago River were met by a surpise visitor. They spotted a giant snapping turtle laying on top of some chains and tree stubs in the middle of the river.
The snapper was ginormous in size and was later nicknamed "Chonkosaurus" by Joey Santore, who posted the video on Twitter and YouTube. Joey and his friend, Al Scorch, run the YouTube channel, "Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't."
They were out on the Chicago River, exploring its flora and fauna, when they encountered the laid-back snapper. The video has since gone viral, and viewers are in awe of both the size of the animal and the YouTubers' hilarious commentary on it.
Thicc turtle breaks the Internet
The Internet seems to be fascinated by the snapper's giant size, labeling it a 'chonker' and an 'absolute unit', while making jokes and funny comparisons on its weight.
Other users were happy to see a creature like a giant snapper flourishing in the chicago environment.
Netizens also enjoyed the YouTubers' reaction to the video as their thick Chicago accented commentary on the resting animal made the whole encounter quite hilarious.
"Look at the size of that thing," Santore is heard exclaiming as the camera focused on Chunkosaurs' behind.
Santore further says to the snapper:
"You look good. You've been eating healthy. You ever heard of liquid salad?"
Joey Santore runs, the YouTube channel, "Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't." The channel has over 341K subscribers and regularly posts funny educational videos on the flora and fauna of the area. It was during their Chicago River Biological Survey that they had their fateful encounter with 'Chonkosaurus'.
What are giant snapping turtles?
Snappers, named as such for their bite, are widespread all the way from Canada to Northern South America. They are the largest freshwater turtle species on the North American continent.
'Chonkosaurus' is described as a 'Chicago River Snapper' and seems to be a common snapping turtle. They are large reptiles and can grow up to 20 inches in length and weigh up to 20 to 75 pounds.
These animals spend most of their time underwater and only emerge from the depths on rare instances. Quite calm in the water, they tend to be slightly aggressive on land and also possess a mean bite.
Chris Anchor, a wildlife biologist with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, described the sighting as rare:
"These turtles live on the bottom of the river. And unlike a painted turtle or veteran slider, which are very commonly seen basking on rocks and whatnot, snapping turtles are almost never seen."
The anchor further explained that the snappers only come out of the river right after hibernation, which was probably the case with Chunkosaurus, or to lay eggs. His guess was that this particular snapper came up to the surface to bask in as much sunshine as possible.
