Mata Mata Turtle (Chelys fimbriata)

Physical Description: The Mata Mata Turtle is a mid-sized turtle that grows 12 to 18 inches long in shell and half that in width. Its shell has high ridges on it down the center and low ridges on the rim. The Mata Mata Turtle is brown in shell color, with gray, tan, and black mixed into the shell. They have gray- brown skin, and algae will often grow upon them, making them appear like a rock in the water. They have a long, rectangular head, with flaps of skin off the sides, and wide feet to aid in movement.
 
Habitat: They live in swampy streams and rivers that are slow moving or standing. They are a highly aquatic organism and rarely leave the water.
 
Range: They live in northern South America, including Boliva, Ecuador, Peru, and more!
 
Diet: They eat fish as well as small animals that enter the waterways. They have a fleshy jaw, unlike most turtles.
 
Lifespan: They live 40 years on average.
 
Social Structure: Relatively solitary organisms, they will come together to mate.  The female will lay between 12-28 eggs that will incubate for an average of 208 days. She will not provide any parental care.

Status: The Mata Mata Turtle is not assessed by the IUCN.
 
Other: The Mata Mata Turtle’s nickname is the “smiling turtle” due to the shape of its mouth. These unusual looking turtles are amazingly well camouflaged in their habitat. Surprisingly, they are poor swimmers for long distances and typically walk along the river bottom!