Nilssonia gangetica
Silhouette: Armin Reindl · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The Indian softshell turtle (Nilssonia gangetica), or Ganges softshell turtle, is a species of softshell turtle found in South Asia in rivers such as the Ganges, Indus and Mahanadi. This vulnerable turtle reaches a carapace length of up to 94 cm (37 in). It feeds mostly on fish, amphibians, carrion and other animal matter, but also takes aquatic plants. This turtle is listed in part II of Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and possession of this species is an offence.
The species is identified on the basis of the structure of the carapace and plastron. There are eight pairs of costal plates, the last well developed and in contact throughout on the median line; two neurals between the first pair of costals; plates coarsely pitted and vermiculate. Epiplastra narrowly separated from each other in front of the ontoplastron, which forms an obtuse or a right angle; plastral callosities very large, hyo-hypoplastral, xiphiplastral, and, in old specimens, ento-plastral. Dorsal skin of young with longitudinal ridges of small tubercles. Head moderate; snout (on the skull) about as long as the diameter of the orbit; interorbital region, in the adult, considerably... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keoladeo National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 3 | Ranthambore National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rajshahi Zoo | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Softshell Turtle sighting in Ranthambore National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 7th most-seen of the 7 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and December
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Softshell Turtle in Ranthambore National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–May and July–October, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Indian Softshell Turtle sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Indian Softshell Turtle sightings, Ranthambore National Park ranks 3rd at about 20%. The best odds are in Keoladeo National Park (India, about 50%) and Chitwan National Park (Nepal, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Indian Softshell Turtle is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Ranthambore National Park (9 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.
