Pelomedusa schweinfurthi (Schweinfurth’s Helmeted Turtle)

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Home > Turtle Database > Pelomedusa schweinfurthi (Schweinfurth’s Helmeted Turtle)

Credit: https://www.inaturalist.org/

Pelomedusa schweinfurthi, or Schweinfurth’s Helmeted Turtle, is a lesser-known freshwater turtle found in parts of central and eastern Africa. It belongs to a group of turtles known for their unique way of hiding their heads sideways into their shells instead of pulling them straight back.

Native To These Regions

Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda

Native Turtle Species Map – Find Turtles by Region

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Pelomedusidae
Genus: Pelomedusa
Species: Pelomedusa schweinfurthi

Common Names

Schweinfurth’s Helmeted Turtle

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Identification

Description
This turtle has a broad, flat shell with a rounded shape and a slightly domed carapace. Its shell is usually dark brown or olive, and the skin is grayish with possible lighter patches. Like others in its genus, it has a side-necked posture and cannot retract its head straight back.

Sexual Dimorphism
Females are usually larger than males. Males may have slightly longer tails and a more concave plastron to help with mounting during mating.

Check more turtles from the Pelomedusa genus

Pelomedusa variabilis (Variable Helmeted Turtle)

Pelomedusa subrufa (East African Helmeted Turtle)

Pelomedusa somalica (Somali Helmeted Turtle)

Native Origin and Distribution

Geographical Range
This species is found in central to eastern Africa, particularly in parts of the Nile Basin, including South Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia.

Preferred Habitat

Schweinfurth’s Helmeted Turtle lives in slow-moving freshwater habitats like swamps, ponds, marshes, and temporary pools. It can tolerate seasonal drying by burrowing into mud or hiding under debris.

Behavior

Feeding Habits
It is an opportunistic feeder and eats insects, small aquatic animals, and carrion. It may also eat plant material but prefers animal-based food.

Predators
Birds, crocodiles, and large fish can prey on them. Eggs and hatchlings are more vulnerable and may be eaten by monitor lizards or mammals.

Reproduction

Breeding Season
Breeding usually happens during or right after the rainy season when water levels are higher and food is more available.

Reproductive Method
The female lays eggs in a nest dug in sandy or soft soil near water. The number of eggs per clutch varies but is usually small compared to other turtle species.

Conservation

Extinction Status
Currently not listed as endangered, but data is limited.

Threats
Habitat loss due to farming, pollution, and droughts caused by climate change are the main concerns. They may also be affected by human activity around water bodies.

Conservation Measures
No species-specific programs are known, but wetland protection efforts in the region may help.

Economic Importance

Not widely used in the pet trade or for food. Its economic impact is minimal, but it plays a role in maintaining healthy ecosystems by scavenging.

Interesting Facts

It was named after the German botanist and explorer Georg Schweinfurth.

It’s one of the more obscure members of the Pelomedusa genus, and little detailed research has been published about it.

Like other helmeted turtles, it can survive in dried-up habitats by going into dormancy during dry spells.

About Author

Muntaseer Rahman started keeping pet turtles back in 2013. He also owns the largest Turtle & Tortoise Facebook community in Bangladesh. These days he is mostly active on Facebook.