Distinguishing features
he turtle has a broad head and small eyes close to the tip of its snout. The carapace is smooth and olive-colored. Juveniles may have dark-spotted carapaces and heads, with yellow around the carapace. (Wikipedia)
Size
- Up to 200 cm (Length of specimen)
Synonyms
Distribution and habitat preferences
The turtle is found in eastern and southern India, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, eastern and southern China, Singapore (extirpated), the Philippines (Luzon and Mindanao) and Indonesia (Kalimantan, Java and Sumatra).
The turtle is found primarily in inland, slow-moving, freshwater rivers and streams. Some evidence indicates its range extends to coastal areas, as well.
It has disappeared from much of its range. Until recently, it was last seen in Cambodia in 2003. A 2007 survey of one area of the Mekong River in Cambodia found the turtle in abundance along a short 48-km stretch of the river.
It spends 95% of its life buried and motionless, with only its eyes and mouth protruding from the sand. It surfaces only twice a day to take a breath. (Wikipedia)
Diet
It is an ambush predator and primarily carnivorous, feeding on crustaceans, mollusks and fish (although some aquatic plants may also be eaten. (Wikipedia)
