Critically EndangeredHawksbill Turtle
Eretmochelys imbricata
One of the 41 turtles and tortoises on WAnimals
Reptiles · Testudines · Platysternidae
Platysternon megacephalum
At extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild.
The big-headed turtle is the only living member of its family and one of the most peculiar turtles in the world: it has a head so large that it cannot pull it inside its shell, protected instead by a bony helmet, and a tail almost as long as its body. It climbs over rocks and even into bushes, which is extraordinary in a river turtle.
Weight
500 g – 1.5 kg
Size
15 cm – 20 cm
Life expectancy
25 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platysternon_megacephalum
The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Big-headed Turtle — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The big-headed turtle is classified as critically endangered. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 1 protected area — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about big-headed turtle.
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