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People asked to report snapping turtles in west-central Montana

Snapping Turtle
Posted at 3:29 PM, May 21, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-21 17:29:59-04

MISSOULA — Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is asking for help from the public in reporting snapping turtle sightings in west-central Montana.

According to FWP, in Montana, snapping turtles are a native species east of the Continental Divide, but they are non-native west of the Divide and can cause significant harm to native populations of pond-dwelling species like frogs, turtles, snakes, ducks, and fish.

Snapping turtles likely end up in waterways in western Montana through illegal releases of animals kept as pets.

In 2018, FWP received a report of a snapping turtle in a backwater at Milltown State Park just east of Missoula.

Then in 2019, FWP responded to a reported snapping turtle in the Rattlesnake Creek area just north of Missoula but was not able to locate it.

FWP spokeswoman Vivaca Crowser notes the agency "is ramping up its efforts to find and remove snapping turtles, and reports of turtle sightings from the public are critical for this effort to be successful."

FWP would like to get a better sense of areas where snapping turtles may be living so biologists and managers can work to minimize the potential negative impacts.

FWP is primarily concerned with snapping turtle sightings in the Clearwater, Bitterroot, and Blackfoot watersheds as well as the Clark Fork watershed upstream of the confluence with the Flathead River.

It is rare that FWP receives a report of a snapping turtle in these areas, but even a few reports can provide important information for planning and prevention.

Anyone who sees a snapping turtle or hear reports of one in those watersheds listed above is asked to contact FWP’s Torrey Ritter, at 406-381-2339 or email torrey.ritter@mt.gov as soon as possible.