MOSH hosts birthday party for Tonca the turtle
MOSH celebrated the 56th birthday of their beloved Alligator Snapping Turtle named Tonca on July 9th. Tonca ventured out from his home in the Hixon Native Plant Countyard and into the museum for his annual checkup.
Tonca weighed in at 214 pounds and measured 27-1/4’’ (shell carapace) and 55’’(tip to tail). Last year, he was just two centimeters shy of holding the Guinness World Record for the largest Alligator Snapping Turtle. During the party, Tonca got a full spa treatment with a shell cleaning, nail trim, and a medical checkup. Vets say he is in good health.
During the party, kids got ice cream, were able to pet smaller turtles, and asked Dr. Anthony Mortimer, Director of Curatorial Services at MOSH, some questions about Tonca and where he is from.
Here are some facts about Tonca: Alligator snapping turtles have no natural predators in the world. The scientific community divided the scientific names of Alligator Snapping Turtles, based on the areas they used to live. Tonca was found in Mandarin, but DNA testing found he matches the Apalachicola-area turtles (which is on the western part of Florida). No one knows how Tonca arrived in Mandarin. Tonca’s favorite food is Tilapia.