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Mud Turtle

Pelusios sp.

Photo by Tiz
Published on Project Noah
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-26.2862, 31.8453

Field Notes

Description:

Maximum 15 cm sized Turtle escaping the mud in the mudhole by sunbathing on an old tree.

Habitat:

Mudhole where elephants, white rhinos and warthogs take a dip every now and then.

Notes:

I was told that "when the animals take a bath in a mudhole with turtles, they get a special treatment by them, because the turtles eat off the ticks that the oxpeckers can not reach such as in the armpits. Photo taken in Hlane national park.
This could be an African helmeted turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa)

Species ID Suggestions

Mud Turtle

Pelusios sp.

Comments (3)

Thank you for the ID-suggestions Kate. I will add your suggestions in the Notes of the spotting!
This is probably Pelomedusa subrufa (Marsh or Helmeted Terrapin). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_helmeted_turtle http://www.sntc.org.sz/reptiles/speciesinfo.asp?spid=28
Thank you Niel! This helps a lot for further research! Best regards Tina

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