I assume this was in the Reptile House? I believe this is an Eastern Mud Turtle (Kinosternon subrubrum), although the zoo had them signed as the nominate subspecies (Southeastern Mud Turtle, Kinosternon subrubrumsubrubrum) on my visit.
@MOG2012 and @Jena This is not a snapping turtle; it's actually an Eastern Mud Turtle. The pictured turtle has distinct yellow blotches on its head, which the snapping turtle lacks. The shape of the head and plastron are also more consistent with a mud turtle (the snapping turtle's plastron is highly reduced, and snapping turtles have a more prominent beak than the turtle pictured).
@Astrotom3000 this is a second picture notice the toddler in the image for size comparison I have a zoology friend who I actually asked before I posted this and he said common snapping turtle shockingly fast. So the fact someone else also said that too makes 2 out of 3.I want to take your word for it but 2 out of 3 it is tough to figure it out. I am going to seek a 3rd tie breaker and get back to you
I've had actual zookeepers misidentify animals, including turtles, in the past, including just this past year (a keeper at the Bronx Zoo mistook a Black/Hamilton's Pond Turtle for a Fly River Turtle).
Here is a picture I took of their Common Snapping Turtle back in April of this year. I would assume this individual was also present last year as this is a long-lived species and there were no updates in the news threads suggesting otherwise. IMO, it looks very distinct from the turtle you saw.
