A Round of Applause for the Roti Island Snake Necked Turtle

The Roti Island Snake Necked Turtle, or McCord’s Snake Necked Turtle, (Chelodina mccordi) is a species of turtle only found on the island of Rote in Indonesia. It’s main habitat are freshwater lakes, marshes, and rice paddies. Although they are primarily aquatic, their preferred ecosystems are not. In the dry season, when freshwater is no longer available, McCord’s Snake Necked Turtle will burrow under leaves or boulders rather than hibernating in mud like other turtle species. C. mccordi is mainly nocturnal throughout the year, although they are known to emerge during the day during the rainy season, when it is generally believed that they mate.

Eggs are produced anytime between Februrary and September in clutches of eight to fourteen. Young take about three months to hatch, with the majority emerging at the beginning of the wet season in November. When they first hatch, juveniles have yellow or orange splotches on their bottom shell, also known as the plastron. These splotches become dark as they grow older, and by the time they’re adults the plastron is completely black.

Adult Roti Island Snake Necked Turtles are medium sized, for turtles. They can weigh anywhere between 400 and 800g, and the shell is typically 18 to 24 cm; females are usually larger than males. Their necks, for which they are so named, are nearly two-thirds the length of their bodies. Because of their length, these turtles cannot pull their heads straight back under their shell. Instead, they curl them to the side in an S-shape. This is the defining trait of the suborder Pleurodira, of which C. mccordi is a member. This group is also aptly referred to as the side-necked turtles.

Little is known about the daily life of McCord’s Snake Necked Turtle. They are carnivores, and it’s generally believed that their diet consists of insects and small fish. Their shells protect them from most predation, as do their claws and a musk they produce when threatened. However, both eggs and juveniles can be consumed by wild pigs and wading birds.

Conservation Status: This species is critically endangered. Historically it was greatly hunted for meat, shells, or the pet trade. As of 2001, export of the species was banned, but population trends continued to decline. Habitat loss only exacerbated the problem. Only two or three small populations are believed to remain in the wild. Several breeding programs around the world are in place to preserve the species, but no reintroductions to the wild have as yet been attempted.

Photos:

Ben Tapley

Hinrich Kaiser

Daniel Kane