Instead catfish fisherman pulled out of a prehistoric lake monster

Instead, the man caught a prehistoric turtle weighing 45 kilograms. Eventually, the fisherman still released his massive catch, which turned out to be a rare alligator turtle, but before that still took a few pictures, which were viral. On become extraordinarily popular images captured shirtless Harrell, struggling to keep the large reptiles. After the photo shoot the turtle was released into the water unharmed.
In a statement that accompanied the rare footage, the man explained that he and his friend Odie Clark went catch catfish in Mill Creek, when came across something really great. Hooking turtle Harrell almost fell and was able to pull out of prehistoric animals from the water only by means of a comrade.
Experts say that the opinion on the prevalence of alligator snapping turtle in Oklahoma is a fallacy. In recent years, an endangered species was at the center of reintroduction program in the state.
Barry Downer, the curator, a herpetologist from Tulsa Zoo, concluded that on the basis of photographs and personal experience, caught specimen weighed about 45 kilograms. He added that the biggest alligator snapping turtle weighed about 93 kilograms.
According to the information of the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, turtles are characterized by three large ridges or keels, which are located along the body. It makes them unique and layout eyes, different from commonly found in relatives.
Grifovovye turtles live on the planet about 20 million years. They are carnivorous, feeding on snakes, frogs, fish and even other turtles. They live in rivers near the Gulf of Mexico. Most of his life of the species is conducted at a depth in the waters of major rivers, canals, lakes and marshes.
While the threat of extinction for the moment, loggerhead turtles are protected as a vulnerable species, since the number of reptiles greatly reduced due to the consumption of their meat for food, as well as the use of pesticides, which is for them a serious threat to