A painted river terrapin basking on a rock beside water. — Photo: Jason Pratt, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Painted River Terrapin

Batagur borneoensis

A critically endangered Southeast Asian river turtle whose males grow a bright red stripe on the head in breeding season.

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About the Painted River Terrapin

Female painted terrapins grow 20 to 28 inches long, while males reach only 12 to 16 inches. For most of the year both are dull brown and gray, but in breeding season the males get a vivid red stripe on the head. They live in river mouths and mangrove swamps of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. They eat water plants, grasses, fallen leaves and fruit.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Batagur borneoensis^[1]
Size: Females 20 to 28 inches; males 12 to 16 inches.^[1]
Diet: Mostly water plants, grasses, fallen leaves and fruit.^[1]
Habitat: River estuaries and mangrove swamps.^[1]
Where it lives: Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, including Sumatra and Borneo.^[1]
Babies: 10 to 12 eggs laid on sandy beaches; they hatch after 70 to 90 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List, assessed 2018).^[2]

Fun facts

Males get a bright red head stripe in breeding season.^[1]
Painted terrapins can't live in very salty water.^[1]
Females return to nest near the river where they hatched.^[1]

Vocabulary

terrapin: A kind of turtle that lives in fresh or slightly salty water.
estuary: Where a river meets the sea and fresh and salt water mix.
brackish: Slightly salty.
poacher: A person who hunts or collects animals illegally.
critically endangered: A conservation label meaning a species faces an extremely high risk of dying out in the wild.

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. “Painted river terrapin.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/painted-river-terrapin (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Batagur borneoensis (Painted Terrapin).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/163458/1009824 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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