The pig-nosed turtle is sometimes referred to as the pitted shell turtle and the Fly River turtle. They are incredibly old, with a species history that dates back 70 million years before the extinction of the dinosaurs. They are also the last of their family to still be alive, which makes them very unusual.
They have a pig-like nose and sea turtle-like flippers despite being freshwater turtles. They are quite distinctive from the other freshwater turtle species due to their qualities.
Care as a Pet
Habitat
The nose-pig turtles are primarily found in Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia, as was already noted. Being aquatic, they only come out of the water to deposit eggs during the breeding season. Despite having flippers that resemble sea turtles, they are found in freshwater bodies of water. They naturally live in rivers, lakes, and streams where the water is fresh and there are plenty of little fish and insects to consume. Additionally, they have been observed hiding in marshes and swamps.
They dive as far as 20 feet underwater in quest of prey and shelter due to their aquatic nature. Indonesia has also seen several sightings of pig-nosed turtles in addition to Australia and New Guinea.
Feed
Although pig-nosed turtles are essentially omnivores, they favour eating plants over meat. Figs and their leaves are one of their favourite snacks. They also consume other insects and mollusks. They consume a variety of fruits and leaves that grow along riverbanks due to their herbivorous nature.
They use their snout as a snorkel to track the small fish and worms they eat as well.
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