Tortoise Main Menu

Krefft's Tortoise - Emydura Kreffti

Distribution -
Krefft's Tortoises are found on the Queensland Coast east of the Great Dividing Range.

A female Krefft's Tortoise (Emydura Kreffti) from the
Burnett River, QLD.

Description -
It is often difficult to identify the various short-neck tortoises, especially when confronted with a species for the first time. Krefft's Tortoise is no exception. Its shae and general appearance vary considerably throughout its range, but one reasonably consistent characteristic is a yellow or blue-green stripe extending backwards from the eye. This may vary in intensity between individual specimens, adults and juveniles, or populations from different areas, but it is always present.

The carapace of Krefft's Tortoise may be olive-brown, or pale brown to almost black. The female grows much larger and deeper in the shell than the male which can be distinguished by its longer tail and more elongated carapace.

A juvenile Krefft's Tortoise (Emydura Kreffti) showing
vertibral keels.

Habits -
Mature Krefft's Tortoises generally survive in an outside enclosure during winter months in Sydney provided they have been introduced to the pond during the summer so they can gradually adapt to the temperature changes leading to winter. Rough surfaces in the pond should be kept to a minimum as this species is particularly susceptible to shell abrasion and subsequent infection.

A male Krefft's Tortoise (Emydura Kreffti) from
Barambah Creek, QLD.

Krefft's Tortoises in one collection laid eggs several times: a nesting site among ferns and shrubs was always chosen. The young, measuring about 2.4cm emerged after eighty days or more.