For 80 years, the mysterious freshwater turtle species known as the Philippine forest turtle remained a mystery. One of the top 25 most endangered turtle species in the world is the turtle that is native to the Philippine island of Palawan.
One specimen was accidentally found in a Palawan market in the late 1980s; it was rediscovered there 24 years later, in 2004.
Care as a Pet
Habitat
This particular kind of turtle requires swamp forests as its preferred habitat. It is the cause of this species’ extremely constrained range. The lowland swamp forest’s conversion to rice paddies for long-term survival does not aid the Philippine forest turtles. The turtles spend the day in cover beneath rocks or close to rivers and streams. They can be spotted at night in the rivers and streams or close to sandy shorelines.
Feed
They were shown to be omnivorous based on the numerous observations. This indicates that they favor eating small fish, water plants, and prepared turtle food. Crabs, shrimp, and freshwater gastropods are other prey items for them. In terms of vegetation, they will also eat figs, algae, and wild fruits. Late at night or in the morning, when they are most active, Palawan turtles typically go in search of food.
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