Terrapin, neither turtle nor tortoise

A terrapin spotted by the waterside is quick to disappear under water on the first indication of danger. It may be watchful of events on dry land even when swimming by lifting only its head above the water level; an event not easily spotted.

The terrapin, a reptile inside a protective shell, loves basking in the sun next to the water on land, on a rock, a log or even on a sleeping hippo. Forever vigilant, the head may be stuck out far from its domed carapace as seen here; animals in the wild live like this in order to continue living at all.

Southern African terrapins belonging to the Pelomedusidae family are not the only animals called terrapin worldwide. Many of those on other continents and other land are unrelated to southern African terrapins, belong to other, even the tortoise family, the Testudinidae.

Romeo was a Montague, Juliet a Capulet. Which terrapin family can mate with which is a complex affair. At least they did not all live in the city of Verona.

The tortoise family is also well represented in southern Africa, in fact may have its widest species diversity right here. The number of different kinds of terrapin in southern Africa is largest in the Lowveld and KwaZulu-Natal, while small tortoise species are most diverse in the Western and Eastern Cape.

Well conserved in nature reserves and national parks, the animals living on other land may not be that safe. The responsibility for proper care to sustain them is important. Accepting this fact is a sign of appropriate education or of special personal attributes. Every citizen may get at least one opportunity in life to save a tortoise or even a turtle or terrapin; a chance that should not be missed. Such an action will benefit future generations, starting with one’s own children learning from it.

This terrapin was basking peacefully, minding his or her own business in Addo when the paparazzi moved in so rudely. The Addo Elephant National Park’s Reptile Species List includes one terrapin and 4 tortoise species. The terrapin in picture must be the marsh terrapin or helmeted terrapin, scientifically known as Pelomedusa subrufa (Wikipedia; www.sanparks.org).