Roti Island Snake-necked Turtle - Five Sisters Zoo

Individuals have an oval, flattened carapace (shell) that is grey to brown in colour. Their plastron (underside) is a yellow  colour. They have dark grey skin, with a light underside. Their neck is almost two-thirds the length of their carapace, and they cannot retract it. They have ringed eyes.

 

Facts

  • Diet: Carnivorous
  • Weight:  440 to 810 grams
  • Carapace length:  18 to 24 centimetres
  • Habitat: Wetlands of the island of Roti in southeastern Indonesia
  • Life span:  up to 30 years under human care
  • Females are bigger than males

Adapted to Survive

  • individuals will use their long neck to capture their prey
  • If threatened, they will produce a substance to deter predators
  • During the dry season, they will hunt at night

Threats

  • Pet trade
  • Degradation of wetlands through deforestation
  • Climate change

IUCN Conservation Status

Critically Endangered

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