Snapping turtles are not the kind of animal that most people think of as “cute” with their funnel-shaped noses, thick, warty bodies, and armored tails. Box turtles are cute. Sea turtles are adorable.

The massive snapping turtle at the center of a now-viral video, fittingly named "Chonkosaurus," may have actually been a pretty rare sight for two kayakers on the Chicago River. The turtle was caught ...