Scientific name : Platysternon megacephalum
Family : Platysternidae
Native to : South-East Asia and Southern China
Interesting fact : The turtle can climb up trees using its beak and tail.
Conservation status : Endangered
Five sub-species have been identified. It has a large, triangular head which cannot be withdrawn into the shell. But the head’s bony skull makes up for it. Its strong bony jaws allow it to feed on even hard-shelled molluscs and crustaceans. Their decline in numbers can be attributed to their popularity as food in Asia.
