This close-up of the Rafetus swinhoei turtle shows its head and patterned skin. The Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei), the world's largest freshwater turtle and one of the most ...

Freshwater extinctions rarely happen overnight, especially in a habitat as large as the Yangtze River. However, it’s still possible for a species to dwindle, and dwindle enough so that only a few ...

Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work covers anything from archaeology and the environment to technology and culture. Tom has a Master's degree in Journalism. His editorial work ...

Snapping turtles are large freshwater turtles that are unable to withdraw their head and legs fully into their shells, and so have extremely powerful jaws that they use to defend themselves with by ...

One of the world’s largest and least studied freshwater turtles has been found in Cambodia’s Mekong River, raising hopes that the threatened species can be saved from extinction.

Turtles are often unfairly maligned as fish killers that ruin the ecosystems of our ponds, rivers, and streams. The facts are that many turtles are omnivores and consume large amounts of aquatic ...

Scientists studying the world’s largest river turtles, a South American species that grows to a length of nearly a meter, or 3 feet, have found the largest nesting aggregation ever recorded. Using ...

Recovery of this softshell turtle species now requires working with a global population of only two or possibly three known individuals, though the exact number remains uncertain due to ongoing ...