PAINTED TERRAPIN (Callagur borneoensis)

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Description: The painted terrapin is a rare aquatic turtle found in Southeast Asia. It is an estuarine species, which means it prefers brackish water. During the breeding season, the head of the male turns white and he develops a red stripe between the eyes, which gives him a painted look. Painted terrapins were once common throughout the region, but are now rare as a result of overharvesting of their eggs for food, dam building and loss of nesting habitat.

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
Major Threats: Overharvesting of their eggs for food, dam building and loss of nesting habitat
Habitat: Brackish rivers and mangrove swamps
Location: Southern Thailand and West Malaysia south to Sumatra and Borneo
Diet: Mainly fruits and riverside plants