The Weird Looking Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtle

Welcome to another post of my strange animals series where you get to meet some of the weirdest, coolest, and craziest animals in the world.

I haven't posted about a strange animal in a while, so I hope you like the one I am gonna share today. Let's first start with a photo:

Cantor's giant softshell turtle (credit)

As my friend @zest commented yesterday when I showed him this photo, this turtle looks like a "road kill", don't you agree? Scientifically described as Pelochelys cantorii, this creature is commonly known as Cantor's giant softshell turtle and is one of the world's largest fresh water turtles.

Also known as Asian giant softshell turtle and frog-faced softshell turtle, it's named after Theodore Edward (Theodor Edvard) Cantor (1809–1860), a Danish physician, zoologist and botanist.

Now, let's learn more about this weird looking creature!

Where can I find one?

The species has a wide distribution, occurring in India, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. [1]

Here's a map to give you a better idea of the species' distribution:

Distribution map of P. cantorii (credit)

These turtles can be found in a variety of habitats, including lakes, rivers, estuaries, seacoasts, and occasionally incoastal marine waters although they do seem to have a preference for slow-moving fresh water streams and rivers. [2]

Morphology

Unlike "regular" turtles that have a carapace for protection against predators, these guys don't, hence their somewhat flat appearance. Instead, the ribs form a protective plating over the back covered by hard, rubbery skin. [3]

Adults can reach a length of at least 2 meters and a weight of up to 50 kg.

(credit)

What Does It Eat?

P. cantorii is an ambush predator mainly feeding on stuff like crustaceans, mollusks and fish although it does have an occasional snack of various aquatic plants.

Fun Fact: The bite of this turtle is no joke! It can crush bone and it "has been described as one of the fastest striking animals in the world, even beating the King Cobra." [3]

(credit)

How Does It Spend Its Days?

Unfortunately, there's not much research on the species behavioral and reproductive pattern. Certainly, its' lifestyle doesn't help much as it spends most of its life (approximately 95 %) buried and motionless, with only the snout protruding.

Mating takes place from February to March, with each female laying 20 to 28 eggs per clutch.

(credit)

Is The Species Threatened?

Sadly, the species doesn't appear to have a bright future. Currently it is listed by the IUCN as "Endagered" and many populations have greatly diminished or dissipated.

P. cantorii is threatened over much of its range due to direct exploitation and habitat loss. It is found for sale in all markets in coastal areas of Bangladesh and in Indonesia is traded at low but steady volumes. The same situation is presumed to exist in many of the other range states. [4]

Unfortunately, there's not much effort done to help the species recover. The only serious action I could find was the opening of the Mekong Turtle Conservation Centre (MTCC) in June 2011 which might help the species stay alive, even if it's only in a small, protected area.

Can I Eat One?

Wondering how an endagered species tastes like? Wanna brag to your friends about how you helped an animal go extinct by eating it? If you answered yes, then you would be happy to know that yes, you can eat one! Apparently, it's considered to be a delicacy in Vietnam, so I guess that's the best place to go if you really want to eat one!

Please Don't Eat Me ! (credit)

The End

So that's pretty all the basics you need to know about this weird looking & endangered creature. Don't forget to visit the references down below if you want to learn more about it!

More Strange Animals

Here are some of my latest posts, I hope you enjoy them:

References & Further Reading

Steemstem & SteemitEducation
Steemstem is the go-to place for science on Steemit. Check it out at @steemstem or visit the #steemSTEM channel. A big thank you also goes to the guys from @steemiteducation for supporting my content!

Greek Community
A final big thanks goes to my fellow greeks for their support and love. Follow the greek-trail or check the facebook page for more greek content!