Wildlifeof Bhutan
Keeled Box Turtle
Tortoises & Freshwater Turtles
Photo: (c) rohanmenzies, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Cuora mouhotii
Basic stats
Diet
Wild fallen fruit and other vegetation; occasionally worms and snails
Habitat
Largely terrestrial; feet only partly webbed
Range
Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, India, Laos, Vietnam, Bhutan and Thailand
Clutch size
Average 4 eggs, two clutches a season
Size
Carapace about 15–17cm
The keeled box turtle is a turtle of the family Geoemydidae, endemic to Asia, with a straight carapace length averaging 15 to 17cm in one survey. The lower shell varies from light to dark brown, the upper jaw is strong and the snout short and curved. Males have longer, thicker nails and black or brown eyes, while females have shorter nails and orange or red eyes (Wikipedia, general species account).
The feet are only partly webbed, which suggests a land-based way of life. It is herbivorous, with a preference for wild fallen fruits, and occasionally eats worms and snails. The breeding season is May to September, females dig nests with their hind legs, and the average clutch is four smooth white eggs, with two clutches a season. It occurs in Bhutan and Thailand as well as north-east India and east to China.
Quick answers
- What does the Keeled Box Turtle eat?
- Wild fallen fruit and other vegetation; occasionally worms and snails
- What habitat does the Keeled Box Turtle live in?
- Largely terrestrial; feet only partly webbed
- Where is the Keeled Box Turtle found?
- Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, India, Laos, Vietnam, Bhutan and Thailand
- How many eggs does the Keeled Box Turtle lay?
- Average 4 eggs, two clutches a season
- How big is the Keeled Box Turtle?
- Carapace about 15–17cm