Empty shell...

While walking on a rocky beach along the Little Miami River, I saw a small exposed spinal column and what looked like ribs lying abandoned on one of the rocks at the water's edge. It only took a second to realize it was all that was left of a baby snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentine). The little turtle had had a very short life, but another creature went on to live another day. Maybe a fox, a raccoon, or a skunk found the little turtle while out on its nightly wanders and ate the tender flesh under the plastron, discarding the carapace (upper shell) and moving on to find its next bit of sustenance...

...an empty baby snapping turtle carapace on the rocks at the edge of the Little Miami River. 

...all the ridges and sharp points on a snapping turtle's carapace (upper shell) are distinctive and make it easy to identify what type of turtle this was. 

Once snapping turtles reach maturity, they have few natural predators, but as hatchlings they are vulnerable to predation. When baby turtles hatch and leave their nest, they have to make a dangerous overland hike to get to to the water. They often travel at night and encounter foxes, owls, raccoons, and skunks along their way. During the day, Great Blue Herons think they make a tasty treat, hawks like them too, and once they make it to the water, adult snapping turtles can get them, or even large fish.