The turtle spotted sunning in the restored Chicago River got its name because it is 'fat and chonky,' botanist Joey Santore said.
The turtle, dubbed “Chonkosaurus,” was seen in the Chicago River on May 6, 2023.
The massive snapping turtle was caught on camera by botanist Joey Santore as it lorded over a Chicago River pylon Saturday. In a widely shared video, the turtle suns itself as its fat, leathery legs burst beyond its shell.“Look at that beast!” Santore says to the turtle as it rests on rusted chains. “Aye, how ya doin’, guy? You look good!”
The botanist, who was filming a video on the river’s plant life for his “Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t” YouTube channel when he saw the turtle, at first thought the animal was a sandbag. Unlike his alligator predecessor, Chonkosaurus has apparently not yet inspired a series of fan accounts on social media.The turtle has lived in the waters around Goose Island for years, said Nick Wesley, executive director of Urban Rivers, a nonprofit organization that focuses on transforming urban waterways into wildlife sanctuaries.
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