Marsh Terrapin or African Helmeted Turtle or Crocodile Turtle * Moeraswaterskilpad * Pelomedusa Subrufa
The marsh terrapin is a small turtle, with most individuals being less than 20 cm in length. The male turtle is distinguished by its long, thick tail. A female tends to have a shorter tail and a broader carapace.
By Charles J. Sharp - Own work, from Sharp Photography, sharpphotography.co.uk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=88119772
Skilpad Tortoise Turtle
The African helmeted turtle is able, when it finds itself upside down, to right itself with a vigorous flick of its long muscular neck.
Living in rivers, lakes, and marshes, and it also occupies rain pools and places that are fertilised. Its preference seems to be for standing water, such as swamps, pans, dams, and lakes. However it is found to a lesser extent along rivers. It is generally absent from regions that are mountainous, forested, or desert.
The African helmeted turtle is an omnivorous eater and will eat almost anything. It may feed on carrion. The fine claws on its feet help it tear its prey apart. Several large mammals such as warthogs, Cape buffalo, and rhinoceroses have recently been documented utilising the turtles to remove parasites at popular wallowing holes.
During exceptionally dry weather when water bodies dry up, it will typically dig into the ground and bury itself until rains return; it has been known to spend months or even years in such a state. It has been said that the crocodile turtle can live up to 50 years.
Sources:
(*) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_helmeted_turtle
(*) https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/705855
(*) https://www.allturtles.com/african-helmeted-turtle/
(*) https://animalia.bio/african-helmeted-turtle
Living in rivers, lakes, and marshes, and it also occupies rain pools and places that are fertilised. Its preference seems to be for standing water, such as swamps, pans, dams, and lakes. However it is found to a lesser extent along rivers. It is generally absent from regions that are mountainous, forested, or desert.
The African helmeted turtle is an omnivorous eater and will eat almost anything. It may feed on carrion. The fine claws on its feet help it tear its prey apart. Several large mammals such as warthogs, Cape buffalo, and rhinoceroses have recently been documented utilising the turtles to remove parasites at popular wallowing holes.
During exceptionally dry weather when water bodies dry up, it will typically dig into the ground and bury itself until rains return; it has been known to spend months or even years in such a state. It has been said that the crocodile turtle can live up to 50 years.
Sources:
(*) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_helmeted_turtle
(*) https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/705855
(*) https://www.allturtles.com/african-helmeted-turtle/
(*) https://animalia.bio/african-helmeted-turtle