Common name : Asian giant softshell turtle, Frog-faced softshell turtle
Scientific name : Pelochelys cantorii
Family : Trionychidae
Native to : South-East Asia
Interesting fact : They stay buried under sand with only their snouts out and come out only twice a day to breathe.
Conservation status : Endangered
This rare species is also very unique with a large head and round eyes crowded near its tube-like snout. The shell is rubbery and soft unlike most turtles. You can find them in freshwater streams, swamps and rivers. None of the aquatic creatures can escape this aggressive predator. They are traded for their meat, eggs, Chinese medicine and pets.
