to biting. However, if provoked, it is quite capable of delivering a powerful bite which can easily amputate fingers or cause other significant injuries, such as cuts. Some U.S. states, where the alligator snapping turtle does not naturally occur (such as California), prohibit it from being kept as a pet by residents. Invasive species Some alligator snapping turtles were released or escaped into waters of the Czech Republic, Germany and Hungary. In Bavaria, a turtle was accused of causing injury to a child, but the claim was never substantiated and the turtle in question was never found. In Bohemia, four turtles of this species have been caught. In Hungary, one turtle was caught in the middle of a street near a lake. Certain EU countries have strong laws against keeping the alligator snapping turtle without permission, as it is an invasive species. Conservation status Because of collection for the exotic pet trade, overharvesting for its meat, and habitat destruction, some states have imposed bans on collecting the alligator snapping turtle from the wild. The IUCN lists it as a threatened species, and as of 23 February 2023, it was listed as a CITES Appendix II species, meaning international trade (including in parts and derivatives) is regulated by the CITES permit system. The alligator snapping turtle is now endangered in several states, including Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri, where it is protected by state law. It is designated as "in need of conservation" in Kansas. In October 2013, one was found in the Prineville Reservoir in Oregon. It was captured and euthanized by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which considers alligator snapping turtles to be an invasive species. This one was the first found in the state. References External links Alligator vs. common snapping turtle – Chelydra.org Crunch, the alligator snapping turtle (in Czech). Further reading Behler JL, King FW (1979). The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 743 pp. . (Macroclemys temmincki, pp. 436–437 + Plates 325, 326, 327). Goin CJ, Goin OB, Zug GR (1978). Introduction to Herpetology, Third Edition. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman. xi + 378 pp. . (Macroclemys temmincki, pp. 77, 124, 256–257). Powell R, Conant R, Collins JT (2016). Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America, Fourth Edition. Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. xiv + 494 pp.,