• “Chonkosaurus,” AKA “Chonk,” was noticed chilling within the Chicago River final week.
• The exceedingly plump snapping turtle was captured on video that has since gone viral.
• “It was probably the most Chicago picture,” the one who took the video advised Block Membership Chicago.

An infinite snapping turtle within the Chicago River was captured on video final week and affectionately nicknamed “Chonkosaurus” — or “Chonk” for brief.

The video was shared Joey Santore, who runs the YouTube channel “Crime Pays However Botany Does not” alongside along with his buddy Al Scorch, in line with Block Membership Chicago. The channel seems at pure areas within the metropolis by means of the lens of a “Misanthropic Chicago Italian.”

Santore will be heard expressing shock on the measurement of the plump turtle, whose sturdy physique nearly appeared too massive for its shell: “Oh my god! That is an enormous turtle.”

Another person will be heard declaring that the turtle is “simply hanging out” on a pile of rusty chains.

—Joey Santore (@JoeySantore) May 6, 2023

“Chicago River Snapper aka Chonkosaurus. Nice to see this beast thriving right here on what was as soon as such a poisonous river, however is slowly getting cleaned up & restored,” Santore wrote in a tweet alongside the video. “Any individual planted a bunch of native crops up the river from right here, too. I can solely marvel this issues been consuming.”

Movies of Chonk have racked up greater than 653,000 views on Twitter and greater than 84,000 views on YouTube.

Santore advised Block Membership Chicago that he and Scorch have been kayaking alongside the river searching for invasive crops after they noticed Chonk and determined to begin filming.

“It was probably the most Chicago picture,” he advised the outlet. “It was like this large, simply nearly obese, that regarded too [big] for its shell, reptile hanging out on some rusty gnarly chains that have been holding collectively these decrepit pylons that have been in all probability like 80 years outdated.”

There are two species of snapping turtle in North America, and each will be noticed in Illinois, in line with Pals of the Chicago River. The frequent snapping turtle is discovered all through the state, whereas the alligator snapping turtle is usually discovered within the southeast a part of the state.

Frequent snapping turtles can weigh anyplace from 20 to 75 lbs. The jury’s nonetheless out on the place Chonk falls in that vary.