Marsh terrapin

Introduction: Marsh or Helmeted Terrapins belong to the Family Pelomedusidae. They are medium-sized side-necked terrapins and can often be found in temporary pans such as in Etosha Pan and other slow moving and still waters. They migrate to vleis after good rains and are often victims of road kill. They can live for up to 16 years, a long time for such a reptile. Perhaps their unpleasant, musky smell has something to do with their longevity, as they are not a favoured food source for humans.

Distribution: Absent from permanent waters inhabited by crocs, probably due to their thin shell. They are present in most of northern and central Namibia less for the Namib Desert.

Diet: An omnivorous creature it will eat almost anything including insects, frogs and water weed. In Etosha Pan it ambushes, drowns and eats doves and sand grouse drinking at the water's edge, in a similar attacking fashion to that of a crocodile.

Colouring: A uniform olive to dark brown shell with black undersides and a dark head.

Breeding: Males chase females in the water where mating takes place. Some 10 to 30 elongated, soft-shelled eggs and laid in a traditional flask-shaped pit. The female will urinate on hard soil to dig if the ground is hard. Young are hatched after about 100 days in rain affected soil.

Size: Total length male 200mm. Female 325mm.