A video of an enormous snapping turtle dubbed “Chonkosaurus” goes viral—for good cause. The video was posted to Twitter by Joey Santore. It reveals a very chunky snapping turtle basking on some outdated chains within the Chicago River whereas Santore paddles by.
Santore is a YouTuber, who calls his media technique a “Low-Forehead, Crass Strategy to Plant Ecology & Evolution as muttered by a Misanthropic Chicago Italian.” He’s a self-taught botanist and his channel is dubbed “Crime Pays however Botany Doesn’t.” Santore’s thick Chicago accent and distinctive strategy to botany — expletives included — have gained him a loyal following and over 800,000 views on this most up-to-date video. Remember: The video consists of swearing.
“The way you doing’ man, you look good! You’re wholesome.” exclaims Santore within the video. “Oh my God, that’s an enormous turtle.”
Chicago River Snapper aka Chonkosaurus. Nice to see this beast thriving right here on what was as soon as such a poisonous river, however is slowly getting cleaned up & restored. Any individual planted a bunch of native vegetation up the river from right here, too. I can solely marvel this issues been consuming. pic.twitter.com/u6bhlpo4p5
— Joey Santore (@JoeySantore) Could 6, 2023
Jokes apart, Chonkosaurus could also be an indication of improved well being for the Chicago River. “This factor was clearly very ecologically profitable right here,” Santore informed NBC Information. “It was thriving, and discovering a lot to eat. I didn’t count on to see that so near downtown Chicago. And there was one other one there too.”
Learn Subsequent: Watch a Widespread Snapping Turtle Brutally Take Down a 4-Foot Water Snake
Because the passage of the Clear Water Act and substantial efforts by non-profits and authorities companies, the water high quality of the Chicago River has improved—and wildlife appears to have been returning to it.
In keeping with the New York Occasions, the turtle is probably going a 50-year-old, 40-pound, feminine. A wildlife biologist suspects she was “loaded with eggs.” The species can weigh as much as 60 kilos. “[It’s] nice to see this beast thriving right here on what was as soon as such a poisonous river, however is slowly getting cleaned up and restored,” Santore wrote in his Tweet. “Any individual planted a bunch of native vegetation up the river from right here, too. I can solely marvel [what] this factor’s been consuming.”
