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Lord Fairfax is a 65 lbs turtle found near a residential water source in Fairfax County, Virginia.
He is an alligator snapping turtle, a species not native to the region where he was found, and is the largest of his kind ever found in an urban environment. [1] At maturity, Lord Fairfax is expected to exceed 200 lbs. [2]
According to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Lord Fairfax was bred in captivity by citizens who did not realize how big he would get. Once they were no longer able to care for the giant animal, he was released to the wild. [3]
His upbringing as a pet meant that he would not survive without proper care. [4] The animal was relocated safely to the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk. [5] [6]

Bristol Zoo was a zoo in the city of Bristol in South West England. The zoo's stated mission was to "maintain and defend" biodiversity through breeding endangered species, conserving threatened species and habitats and promoting a wider understanding of the natural world".
The National Zoological Park, commonly known as the National Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States. The zoo is part of the Smithsonian Institution and does not charge admission. Founded in 1889, its mission is to "provide engaging experiences with animals and create and share knowledge to save wildlife and habitats".
The Houston Zoo is a 55-acre (22 ha) zoological park located within Hermann Park in Houston, Texas, United States. The zoo houses over 6,000 animals from more than 900 species. It receives around 2 million visitors each year and is the second most visited zoo in the United States, surpassed only by the San Diego Zoo. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The common snapping turtle is a species of large freshwater turtle in the family Chelydridae. Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada, southwest to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, as far east as Nova Scotia and Florida. The present-day Chelydra serpentina population in the Middle Rio Grande suggests that the common snapping turtle has been present in this drainage since at least the seventeenth century and is likely native. The three species of Chelydra and the larger alligator snapping turtles are the only extant chelydrids, a family now restricted to the Americas. The common snapping turtle, as its name implies, is the most widespread.

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is the only Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)–accredited zoo in the state of Connecticut. The zoo includes one of the few carousels in the state. The zoo has around 500 animals, from over 100 species, and welcomes about 280,000 visitors a year.
The Oakland Zoo is a zoo located in the Grass Valley neighborhood of Oakland, California, United States. Established on June 6, 1922, it is managed by the Conservation Society of California, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife both locally and globally. The zoo is home to more than 850 native and exotic animals and is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Montgomery Zoo is a 40-acre (16 ha) zoo located on the north side of Montgomery, Alabama. The zoo is an independent city department, and is supported in part by The Montgomery Area Zoological Society. It is home to approximately 750 animals representing 140 species. After not renewing their Association of Zoos and Aquariums membership in 2013, the zoo opted to remain accredited solely by the Zoological Association of America. The Mann Wildlife Learning Museum opened in January 2003 and serves as the administration building. The museum features taxidermy displays with a focus on native wildlife, game species, and wildlife management.

Zoo Atlanta is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoo in Atlanta, Georgia. The current president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta is Raymond B. King.
The alligator snapping turtle is a large species of turtle in the family Chelydridae. The species is endemic to freshwater habitats in the United States. M. temminckii is one of the heaviest living freshwater turtles in the world. It is the largest freshwater species of turtle in North America. It is often associated with, but not closely related to, the common snapping turtle, which is in the genus Chelydra. The specific epithet temminckii is in honor of Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck.
Brevard Zoo is a 75-acre nonprofit facility located in Melbourne, Florida, United States, that is home to more than 800 animals representing more than 170 species from Florida, South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The zoo features animal feedings, kayak tours, behind-the-scenes tours, and a train ride, along with the attraction Treetop Trek. The zoo has also featured a dinosaur exhibit several times in its past, including one titled "Dinosaurs are Back", which ran from November 2017 to April 2018. Brevard Zoo is a nonprofit organization accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is a zoo and botanical garden located in Oklahoma City's Adventure District in northeast Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Gladys Porter Zoo is a zoological and botanical park located in Brownsville, Texas, United States. The zoo officially opened on September 3, 1971, and currently averages over 424,000 visitors annually. Situated on 31 acres (13 ha), the zoo houses about 400 animal species and over 250 tropical and neo-tropical species and subspecies. It is the first zoo to have successfully bred the endangered Jentink's duiker. It is also the birthplace of Harambe, the gorilla.
The Binder Park Zoo is a 433-acre (175 ha) zoo that opened in 1977 near Battle Creek, Michigan, in the United States. Binder Park Zoo is one of the largest zoos in Michigan, and features a large array of animals and plants, including the Wild Africa Exhibit. It includes a train, a tram, a carousel, and ropes course called "Skylark Ridge".
Shanghai Zoological Park, or commonly Shanghai Zoo in short, is the one of the two main zoos in Shanghai. It is located near the township of Hongqiao and is administratively in Changning District. Shanghai Zoo was formerly known as " Xijiao Park", which is still a common name used locally for the zoo.
Ming was a tiger that was found living in an apartment in Harlem, New York City, in October 2003, when he was approximately three years old. Ming lived semi-openly with his owner, Antoine Yates, in a room of Yates' five-bedroom apartment on the fifth floor of a large public housing complex in Harlem. Several other normal and exotic pets were found in the apartment, including an alligator named Al in another bedroom.
The Welsh Mountain Zoo is a zoological garden located near the town of Colwyn Bay in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The zoo was opened on 18 May 1963 by the enthusiastic naturist Robert Jackson. The zoo covers an area of 37 acres (15 ha).
The Arkansas Alligator Farm and Petting Zoo is a privately owned zoo located on Whittington Avenue in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
The Collins Zoo, formerly the Collins Exotic Animal Orphanage, is a zoo located in Collins, Mississippi.
Serpent Safari was a reptile zoo located inside the Gurnee Mills Mall in Gurnee, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The zoo advertised itself as "America's Finest Reptile Zoo". The zoo housed some rare specimens, including the world's heaviest snake, an albino alligator, and an alligator snapping turtle estimated at a 150 years old. A gift shop offered pets, a photo area where guests could get their photos taken with a large python or boa, and a reptile zoo with guided tours.
NOVA Wild is a 30-acre (12 ha) zoo in Reston, Virginia. The zoo features a self-drive-through Safari with zebras, bison, and llamas, and a walking tour with cheetahs, capybaras, kangaroos, sloths, camel rides, and a bird aviary. The zoo has over 50 species of animals.