Mata Mata Turtle

School programs only. They do not like to be handled, just observed.

This strange looking turtle is from South America.  They have a bark-like shell and a leaf-like head.  Their long necks help them to grab prey. They are excellent ambush predators and feed on small fish that swim around them in the shallow water. 

The mata mata’s best defense is hiding in plain sight.  Drifting in the shallows, they go mostly un-noticed. Their webbed feet help them to swim, but they prefer walking in the shallow areas, close the the edges on the streams.

*Fun fact: the mata mata uses suction to suck in fish and then catch them in the many spines they have in their throats to keep them from swimming away.