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photo ©Dylan Edwards

This type of turtle is extremely common in the park, especially in the creek, where it hides in cavities it has dug in the creek banks or trolls along the bottom of the creek looking for food. It looks a lot like a snapping turtle, with the characteristic high shell, huge claws, and long, dragon-like tail. However, unlike the stereotypical snapper, these turtles seem to be extremely shy and non-agressive, even when encountered on land like this one. I haven't been able to find pictures of any other species that looks even remotely like this, though, so I'm not sure what to think. Hippy snappers, maybe? This is Austin, after all.

photo ©Dylan Edwards

photo ©Dylan Edwards

photo ©Dylan Edwards