--- title: "Hallelujah! The Mighty “Chonkasaurus” Turtle Has Been Spotted Again" description: "The gigantic \"Chonkasaurus\" snapping turtle, which captured hearts online, has once again been spotted on the Chicago River." date: "2023-06-10" modified: "2023-06-10" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/chonkasaurus-turtle-spotted-again" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "chicago" - "the digest" - "water quality" - "wildlife" --- # Hallelujah! The Mighty “Chonkasaurus” Turtle Has Been Spotted Again ![The gigantic "Chonkasaurus" snapping turtle, which captured hearts online, has once again been spotted on the Chicago River.]() *\Image: Charlie Portis\* ## He's Back! The gigantic "Chonkasaurus" snapping turtle has once again been spotted on the Chicago River. In a [short video posted to Twitter](), Chicagoan Charlie Portis gives the gigantic turtle — who went viral last month [upon the first time it was sighted]() — the star treatment he deserves with his own mock movie trailer. "It’s Chonkosaurus part four," the man said in a deep film announcer voice. "This time, it’s personal." https://twitter.com/chasport/status/1666812783000956928 ## Shell Game As the [*Chicago Sun-Times* reports](), Portis and his 14-year-old son were towing kayaks on the river for their rental company when they spotted him near the wonderfully-named Goose Island, where he was spotted the first time around. The man initially told his kid he didn't expect to see Chonkasaurus, which is estimated to weigh anywhere between 35 and an astonishing [60 pounds](), because [he's been AWOL]() since his initial appearance a month ago. As they approached Goose Island, however, the big ole' boy — estimated to be around [50 years old]() — came into view, and didn't seem to be disturbed by the noise from Portis' boat. Interestingly, Portis' company [Wateriders took the *Sun-Times* out looking for Chonkasaurus]() last month, though he didn't make an appearance on that voyage, the paper notes. As fun as this whole story is, it also carries a deeper positive message too, given that wildlife as, er, robust as Chonkasaurus can now survive and thrive on the Chicago River, which prior to [successful efforts to improve its quality]() was [seriously polluted](). **More on watery boys:** [*Furious Orcas Throw Around Yacht "Like a Ragdoll"*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()