WOW! Did Y’all See this Massive Turtle Captured at Lake Cherokee Yet?

Don't show this to your kids, they may never sleep in peace again. Have you seen this picture making the rounds on social media? It's been steadily going viral the past couple of days, it shows a man at Lake Cherokee in Rusk County holding a massive alligator snapping turtle believed to be around 200-years-old.

Wanted to share what my Dad and his buddy caught at Lake Cherokee in TEXAS yesterday! I wanted to add this so folks can understand... They had 2 rusk county wardens come out. He is expected to be close to 200 years old. He was RELEASED back into the lake unharmed. CBS 19 Tyler is about to have an interview with Dad and Justin!! Keep watch for their story tonight at 10pm! - Kristina Marie Ritter on Facebook

Of course this day in age it's not always easy to convince folks when a picture is indeed authentic. Justin Broomhall, the man who mistakenly caught the turtle tells CBS 19, "On Tik Tok and Facebook, everybody was saying it was photoshopped. I'm telling you God honest truth it was the biggest turtle I'd ever seen."

If you come across an alligator snapping turtle, do not try to make it your pet. According to Kirk Clendening, a Texas game warden for Rusk County, you could get in big trouble, "It's considered a threatened species in Texas," Clendening said. "Since it's protected, you cannot take or posses them."

According to Newsweek, "Alligator snapping turtles are native to freshwater lakes and rivers in the southeast U.S. They can grow to up to 220 lbs. but typically reach between 155 and 175 lbs.

Y'all be careful out there.