something that could kick you and bite you and scratch you.

(Jamie) There's what we call the hinge is where the 2 shells come together.

That is not where you want to grab a snapping turtle.

They could reach around and grab you.

So you want to grab 'em at the back of the shell.

(Izzie) Okay, duly noted.

(SciGirl) Do we have to touch the snapping turtle?

Oh-ho, it snapped!

(Jamie) This guy could really reach around and bite if he wants to.

Whoa!

Watch it!

That's why I'm staying back here!

You're just like, oh my gosh, a snapper!

Is it gonna bite our fingers off?

(Annie) A turtle population study is very important.

When you're doing a population study, you know how many turtles are in the pond, the variety of species, the variety of ages, the variety of genders.

If you're just working with one turtle, you get one evidence of data, and that's not enough.

(SciGirl) We measured the turtles using a caliper.

We want to measure how long the carapace is.

(SciGirl) The carapace is the top of the shell.

9.6.

It's kind of the dome of the shell.

(Jamie) We're going to measure the plastron.

(SciGirl) If you flip the turtle over, the bottom of their shell, that's the plastron.

Found it.

Ah, ow, he bit me.

He did?

Ouw.

Medic!

They do that?!

(SciGirls) Weighing the turtle was really, really hard.

You can't move your hand, and the turtle can't move.

Okay, so Buddy here, 7.2.

(Jamie) Then we can determine growth if you're following these turtles over time.

You kind of age a turtle just like you age a tree.

Every time they grow they get another ring on them.

I was amazed that many of the turtles we were studying were older than me.

17, 18, it's at least 18 years old.

Guys, the starting line is here.