#big headed turtle

Big-headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum), hatchling, family Platysternidae, southern China

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.

This particular individual is aberrantly colored. They are usually brownish or green.

Saw someone disrespecting these two species so I drew them out of pure spite

Flat Fuck Friday!

Silly little creature

Latin name: Platysternon megacephalum

Size: shell size up to 20 cm (7.87 inches)

Diet: carnivorous (mostly fishes, snails and worms)

Habitat: Cambodia, Laos, China, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam

Population status: endangered

Turtley facts:

due to it´s headsize, this turtleis unable to pull its head into its shell

when threatened, the big-headed turtle will bite its predator to defend itself

it is also known to climb bushes and trees, but isn´t a good swimmer

its strong tail is very long- almost the same length as its body!

source source 2

Pics:

Big-headed Turtle Conservation 

We have received a great update from the TSA/WCS Turtle Rescue Center (TRC) in May Myo, Myanmar: 

The 342 Burmese Big-headed Turtles (Platysternon megacephalum peguense) confiscated from wildlife traffickers in November are doing remarkably well!

Due to the rapid response and expertise in dealing with these types of seizures from our team there, the group of turtles has exhibited an astounding 99.5% survival rate. 

Thanks to the TSA, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Andrew Sabin, and generous donors from around Myanmar, the TRC was able to acquire 350 fiberglass stock tanks to house each turtle individually. All of the environments have an inflow and outflow system to ensure the turtles are kept in clean water, where they are fed a diet of fish and prawns.

It is the goal of the Myanmar program to release the turtles into an undisclosed protected sanctuary once their rehabilitation is complete. Great work Myanmar team!

Photograph credits: Nay Win Kyaw

Big-headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum), hatchling, family Platysternidae, Chiang Mai, Thailand

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.