Eastern Long-necked Turtle (ELT)

There are many animals that live in a forest including reptiles like turtles.

Most forests include creeks and ponds which provide habitat to water-loving amphibians and reptiles (like turtles).

The Eastern Long-necked Turtle (ELT), also known as the Eastern Snake-necked Turtle can grow up to 26cm long, and live in freshwater environments like creeks, dams, and wetlands on Australia’s eastern and south-eastern coasts. ELTs are named as such because their neck is usually 50 – 60% of its shell (or carapace) length. Its long neck helps it root out its prey from among reeds and other detritus on a water bank, and its webbed feet help propel it powerfully through the water. The ELT usually feeds on aquatic invertebrates, small amphibians, tadpoles, and small fish.

ELTs spend most of their time in water but can make movements overland in the search for nesting areas or new waterholes/streams. In summer, female ELTs dig holes in areas of soft sand or mud along a riverbank, and lay around 2 – 10 eggs, called a clutch. They will lay 1 – 3 clutches per year, which develop over a period of 3 – 5 months before the hatchlings break out. It is a vulnerable time for the eggs and hatchlings as they are susceptible to being eaten by fish, birds, goannas, and other predators.

The ELT has few weapons to protect itself against predators, but it does 2 ways it can defend itself. The first is its shell, which acts as a suit of armour it can draw itself into when threatened. The second is a pungent, liquid which it can eject from glands in its ‘armpits’ and groin, foul-smelling enough to persuade most animals that there is better eating elsewhere. This defensive mechanism contributes to the ELTs colloquial name – the Stinker!