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Species of the month

White-throated Snapping Turtle

Some facts about this species of snapping turtle:

Dimensions of the turtle: up to 45 cm (18 in) in straight carapace length (SCL), uncomfirmed reports of bigger specimens
Interesting Facts: Capable of cloacal breathing, permitting the species to stay submerged for extended periods.
Range: South Eastern Queensland, Australia. Burnett, Mary and Fitzroy Rivers
IUCN Red List status: Endangered.

Elseya albagula is one of the largest species of Turtles in Australia and one of the largest freshwater turtles in the family Chelidae. The species is threatened by introduced species such as foxes which consume hatchlings and cattle which trample the nests. They are also threatened by habitat modification, particularly damage to nesting banks by dams which re-modelling of the banks during flood events and changes water temperatures in the rivers. The turtle is named for the white throat that typically appears in adult females of the species.