An Australian big-headed turtle with a large head and brown shell. — Photo: Faendalimas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Australian Big-headed Turtle

Emydura australis

A river turtle from northwestern Australia with a head too big to pull into its shell and strong jaws for crushing snails.

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About the Australian Big-headed Turtle

Australian big-headed turtles, also called northern red-faced turtles, have brown oval shells up to 10 inches long. They live in shallow rivers and streams in the Kimberley region of northwestern Australia. A hard, bony plate on the roof of the mouth helps them crush freshwater snails and clams. They also eat insects, frogs and some fruit.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Emydura australis^[1]
Size: Shell up to 10 inches long.^[1]
Lifespan: More than 30 years.^[1]
Diet: Snails and clams, plus insects, amphibians and some fruit.^[1]
Habitat: Shallow rivers and streams.^[1]
Where it lives: The Kimberley region of northwestern Australia.^[1]
Babies: Nests from late August to early November.^[1]
Conservation status: Not evaluated by the IUCN.^[1]

Fun facts

It can't pull its head into its shell.^[1]
A hard plate in its mouth crushes snail shells.^[1]
Males have bigger tails than females.^[1]

Vocabulary

carapace: The top part of a turtle's shell.
palate: The roof of the mouth.
cold-blooded: Having a body temperature that changes with the surroundings; also called ectothermic.
freshwater: Water that is not salty, like most rivers and lakes.
mollusk: A soft-bodied animal, often with a shell, such as a clam, snail or octopus.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Reptile Discovery CenterSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Australian big-headed turtle.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/australian-big-headed-turtle (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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