Pelomedusa subrufa
Silhouette: Day & Haghe · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
The African helmeted turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa), also commonly known as the marsh terrapin, the crocodile turtle, or in the pet trade as the African side-necked turtle, is a species of omnivorous side-necked terrapin in the family Pelomedusidae. The species naturally occurs in fresh and stagnant water bodies throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa, and in southern Yemen.
The marsh terrapin is typically a rather small turtle, with most individuals being less than 20 cm (7.9 in) ranging from 15 to 21 centimeters in straight carapace length, but one has been recorded with a length of 32.5 cm (12.8 in). It has a black or brown carapace. The top of the tail and feet are a grayish brown, while the underside (plastron) is yellowish.
The male turtle is distinguished by its long, thick tail. A female tends to have a shorter tail and a broader carapace. A hatchling has a shell size of about 3 cm (1.2 in) in length, and is olive to black in color. It also has two small tubercles under the chin and musk glands in the sides of the carapace.
Uniquely, the genus Pelomedusa does not have a hinged plastron (lower shell). All the other species in the family Pelomedusidae, however, do... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 2 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 3 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 5 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Cape May County Park & Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Parc de l'Auxois | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Parc Zoologique et Botanique de Mulhouse | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Nikolaev Zoo | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | |
| 6 | Espace zoologique de Saint-Martin-la-Plaine | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 7 | Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 8 | Touroparc Zoo | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 9 | Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | VigoNature | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 11 | World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 12 | Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo | 🇧🇲 Bermuda | |
| 14 | Planet Ocean Montpellier | 🇫🇷 France |
No species of the same family or order lives in Etosha National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Helmeted Turtle sighting in Etosha National Park on a given day, based on 82 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 22 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–March and December
In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Helmeted Turtle in Etosha National Park on a given day, against about 20% in May, the lowest month. Those are among Etosha National Park's wettest months, with about 60 mm of rain a month against almost none in June.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Helmeted Turtle sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Helmeted Turtle sightings, Etosha National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Serengeti National Park (Tanzania, about 10%) and Masai Mara National Reserve (Kenya, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Helmeted Turtle is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Etosha National Park (82 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
