Today, we had an extended visit from a large snapping turtle. I estimate the shell length to be 16 inches. S/he spent several hours moving about the newly mulched areas of our front yard and eventually started excavating the compost pile in which my future bonsai Japanese Lace Leaf Maple is growing. A provoked snapping turtle of this size can easily remove a finger from your hand and can strike with lightning speed over a distance of about six inches. It is best to give them a wide berth. I suspect she was surveying our yard to locate a good place to lay eggs. When the coast is clear, I will investigate the compost pile to see if I find eggs there. If yes, I will cordon off the area until the baby turtles hatch.