Pig-nose Turtle

The pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta), also called the Fly River turtle, is a unique freshwater species native to northern Australia and New Guinea.

Physical Characteristics & Habitat

• Snout

  It features a distinctive, fleshy, pig-like snout that acts as a snorkel, allowing it to breathe while remaining submerged underwater.

• Flippers & Shell

  Unlike most freshwater turtles, it has flipper-like forelimbs similar to sea turtles and a leathery, skin-covered shell instead of hard, bony scutes.

• Size

  Adults typically reach up to 70 cm (27.5 inches) in length and can weigh up to 30 kg (66 lbs).

• Environment

  They spend almost their entire lives in warm, slow-moving rivers, lagoons, and streams, with females coming onto land only to lay eggs.

Diet & Behaviour

Pig-nosed turtles are opportunistic omnivores. Their diet primarily consists of fallen riparian fruits (such as figs), leaves, and aquatic vegetation, along with small crustaceans, molluscs, and insects.