Published on: December 22, 2021

ALBINO INDIAN FLAPSHELL TURTLE

ALBINO INDIAN FLAPSHELL TURTLE

NEWS

Albino Indian Flapshell turtle was recently spotted in Sirnapalli forest in Telangana

DETAILS

  • Freshwater turtles
  • Widespread across South Asian countries like Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh
  • Golden in colour – congenital disorder and it is characterized by complete or partial absence of tyrosine pigment

GENERAL DETAILS

  • “Flap-shelled” – presence of femoral flaps located on the plastron.
  • Flaps of skin cover the limbs when they retract into the shell.
  • Relatively small soft-shell turtle
  • Scavenger in the river.
  • Found in shallow, quiet, often stagnant slow-moving rivers, streams and rice paddies.
  • Predominantly carnivores, though the flapshells eat some plant matter (i.e. Omnivore).
  • Threats – Poaching for meat and cartilage. Foxes and wild dogs destroy their nests.