Wildlifeof Borneo
Asian Giant Softshell Turtle
Turtles & Tortoises/cc-asian-giant-softshell-turtle.jpg)
Pelochelys cantorii
Basic stats
Diet
Fish, invertebrates, carrion
Habitat
Large rivers and estuaries
Range
South and Southeast Asia
Clutch size
20–30 eggs (typical for large softshell turtles)
Incubation period
About 60–90 days (typical for large softshell turtles)
Size
Very large (shell up to 100cm+)
Weight
Up to ~100kg
One of the largest freshwater turtles in the world, with an enormous flattened shell and a small, narrow head relative to its body size, found in large rivers and estuaries.
Endangered, and now rare across much of its range due to historic overharvesting and habitat disturbance — a genuinely exceptional sighting if encountered in Sabah's rivers.
