The giant alligator snapping turtle, dubbed “Chonkosaurus,” was discovered in the Chicago River, Illinois, on May 5, capturing the attention of thousands on social media.
While kayaking on the Chicago River on May 5, Joey Santore and Al Scorch recorded images of the plump turtle clinging to a pile of rusty chains floating on the river.
They were amused by its wrinkly, chubby legs and the shell that barely covered its massive body.
“We intended to go out and survey the plant species growing along the river—what naturally grows in this heavily polluted and frequently visited environment. Then, we spotted a series of native turtles,” Santore told ABC.
Even from a distance, the turtle appeared quite large.
The giant alligator snapping turtle “Chonkosaurus” discovered in the Chicago River on May 5. (Photo: Joey Santore).
“Look at its size!” Santore exclaimed in the video shared on Twitter.
His friend, Al Scorch, subsequently named the giant turtle “Chonkosaurus.”
Gaining Attention
Thousands have expressed admiration for Chonkosaurus on Twitter, praising the robust turtle and its discoverers. Santore’s video quickly garnered over 700,000 views.
In an interview, Santore, who grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, mentioned that he and his friend were kayaking on the river on May 5 to film a video for his YouTube channel aimed at educating viewers about the ecosystem.
“My followers enjoy the mix of skeptical Chicago commentary and educational content about plants,” he noted.
YouTuber Joey Santore (left) and Al Scorch kayaking on the Chicago River. (Photo: Joey Santore).
Initially, Santore and Scorch couldn’t clearly see what was sitting on the water’s surface and decided to paddle closer.
“It was very fat, with legs sticking out, looking like a big sandbag,” Santore recalled.
The size of this turtle led many social media users to question: What had it been eating?
Some simply speculated that Chonkosaurus eats whatever it wants. One person guessed it was beef and sausage, while others hinted at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and guessed its food was pizza.
Perhaps the most valuable opinion came from those who discovered the creature.
“Wow, you look amazing!” Santore said to the turtle. “I’m really proud of you. You’ve been eating healthy, right?”
Scorch also described Chonkosaurus as “fat but strong.”
Meanwhile, Chris Anchor, a wildlife biologist from the Cook County Forest Preserve, stated that Chonkosaurus is female and likely <em“carrying many eggs.”
On the day it was spotted in the Chicago River, Chonkosaurus may have been clinging to the pile of chains to warm up and help the eggs mature. The turtle is likely around 50 years old and had just emerged from hibernation, Anchor added.
“Long Live Chonkosaurus”
Although describing Chonkosaurus as “very large,” Anchor clarified that this turtle is not one of the largest he has ever seen. The Cook County biologist encounters around 300-500 turtles each year in his work. According to him, this species can weigh up to 60 pounds.
While Anchor couldn’t make an accurate calculation from the video, he guessed that Chonkosaurus weighs about 40 pounds.
Images of Chonkosaurus gaining attention on social media. (Photo: AP).
Phil Nicodemus, research director of Urban Rivers—a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming urban waterways into wildlife habitats—also mentioned having seen large turtles near the area over the past few years.
However, he found it interesting to see the public’s enthusiasm for wildlife like this.
“People living nearby sometimes don’t even realize the creatures right there. So, this is exactly what we want to see,” he told ABC.
What’s noteworthy is that the video highlighted the condition of the Chicago River and its surroundings. Anchor recalled that in the 1960s, “the river was like an open sewer,” containing only a few fish species and no recreational kayaking activities.
However, since the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, the water quality of the Chicago River has significantly improved. Currently, the river is home to about 30 fish species, and people enjoy various activities on its surface.
“That wasn’t possible 40 years ago. But now, more and more eyes are on the river, discovering things that no one noticed before,” Anchor said.
It’s hard to specify exactly what Chonkosaurus has been consuming. Large alligator snapping turtles are often rumored to be able to snatch ducks from the river, pull them under, and tear them apart in murky waters. Particularly, giant snapping turtles also have the capability to attack deer or raccoons with their claws.
Clearly, the food source of Chonkosaurus remains a mystery, but that hasn’t stopped the praise and admiration flooding social media.
One Twitter user summed up these sentiments in a comment: “Long live Chonkosaurus!”
