Pelomedusa galeata
Silhouette: Day & Haghe · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
Pelomedusa galeata, commonly known as the South African helmeted terrapin and the cape terrapin, is a species of side-necked terrapin in the family Pelomedusidae. It is endemic to South Africa, Eswatini and southern Mozambique.
The cape terrapin is found in all South African provinces, Eswatini and southern Mozambique. It is absent from the Bushmanland bioregion in the Northern Cape. Adults average 26 cm (10 in) in straight carapace length; and up to 32.5 cm (12.8 in) in exceptional cases.
The cape terrapin is found in fresh and stagnant water bodies, but not in mountainous or forested terrain. Mating of the cape terrapin occurs during spring. Nesting occurs from late spring to autumn. Up to 30 eggs are laid in an 18 by 9 cm (7.1 by 3.5 in) chamber close to the water. Incubation is roughly three months.
As of 2017, the cape terrapin has been assessed as least concern due to its widespread occurrence. The population group in western South Africa could be a candidate species. Media related to Pelomedusa galeata at Wikimedia Commons Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | uMkhuze Game Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Pretoria | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | National Zoological Garden of South Africa | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Espace zoologique de Saint-Martin-la-Plaine | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | East London Aquarium | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Very likely
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Terrapin sighting in uMkhuze Game Reserve on a given day, based on 91 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 18 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and October
In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Terrapin in uMkhuze Game Reserve on a given day, against about 40% in March and May, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cape Terrapin 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 6 parks where we can rate Cape Terrapin sightings, uMkhuze Game Reserve has the highest daily chance: about 70%. Next come Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park (South Africa, about 40%) and Addo Elephant National Park (South Africa, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cape Terrapin is recorded against all the reptiles logged in uMkhuze Game Reserve (91 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.
