Alligator Snapping Turtle (Wild Republic – Living Stream by K&M International)

Review and images by Fembrogon; edited by bmathison1972

Turtles and tortoises don’t seem to get the same bad rap their reptilian relatives have historically suffered; perhaps their slower nature, omnivorous diets, and long lifespans have endeared themselves to human sensibilities better. Not all testudines are harmless, however, and as a kid who liked his predators, I was always most enamored with the big-beaked, carnivorous snapping turtles. I would have been thrilled in my childhood to own a snapping turtle in toy form – and as it turns out, K&M International’s Wild Republic plush line delivered just such a treat in recent years for like-minded kids (and adults, for that matter).

Wild Republic has covered a wide range of recognizable and remarkable animal species, rendered into various forms of cuddly stuffed toys with the intent to promote wildlife awareness and conservation. Many of their sub-lines retain a stylized sense of accuracy to reflect the creatures’ appearances in life. One of these sub-lines was titled “Living Stream”, which focused on freshwater wildlife such as different North American fish and reptiles; and among their selection featured was the snapping turtle.

Wild Republic’s plush toy is labeled merely as “snapping turtle”; but from the ridged plates of the upper shell, or carapace, as well as the size and shape of the head, this toy is unmistakably representing the alligator snapping turtle in particular. Macrochelys temmincki (Temminck’s large turtle) is the larger of the two snapping turtle genera still extant, with two possible additional species, M. suwanniensis and M. apalachicolae, recognized and described in the genus in 2014. Sometimes nicknamed the “dinosaur of the turtle world”, the alligator snapper is the largest freshwater turtle in North America, and admittedly does have a rather stereotypically prehistoric appearance with its gaping mouth and spiky shell. Wild Republic’s rendition is advertised as measuring 16 inches in length, but is actually a little larger – roughly 18 in (45.5 cm) from head to tail, with a carapace of about 12 in (30.5 cm), just below the average life-size dimensions of real alligator snappers. Adult alligator snappers have been known to reach enormous dimensions of 30 inches in shell length, even before accounting the head and long tail.

The toy’s body is firmly packed with polyester stuffing to maintain a rigid, rounded shape to the shell. The head and limbs are similarly stuffed, but the toy is still overall soft enough for easy play and cuddling. The three rows of scaly ridges along the carapace are empty fabric, perhaps to avoid any notion of pointy hazards. A thin fringe of fabric also lines the circumference of the shell. Although the head and shell are definitely representative of the alligator snapping turtle, the tail has been dramatically shrunk down to a size akin to most other turtle groups. The limbs appear slightly reduced as well, perhaps to cut costs and reduce shelf and storage space. The mouth is sewn open in full gape, with two enlarged plastic eyes in amber and wide black pupils – a little cuter than the beady camouflaged eyes of the real reptile.

The snapper plush comes in three primary colors of brown, green, and yellow. The carapace is a dark forest green gradient with orange-yellow markings to imitate the shell texture. The head and legs are an earthy brown with darker brown, irregular scale spots, transitioning into a light golden yellow on the undersides. Additional scale patterns distinguish the toes, and the plastron displays a detailed pattern of the interconnected shell parts. Overall, coloration is exaggerated slightly to make the toy pop, but relatively accurate to the hues and patterns seen in real-life alligator snapping turtles.

Wild Republic has delivered another delightful stuffed animal for wildlife lovers, capturing the essence of the iconic American turtle in a large, cute plush package. Sadly, in the time it took me to get this review published, Wild Republic seems to have discontinued the snapping turtle and the Living Stream series as a whole; however you can always check Amazon and eBay for new & used listings.