India has one of the richest collections of freshwater turtles in Asia. Rivers, oxbow lakes, marshes, temple ponds, forest streams, and coastal estuaries each host different species. Many of these turtles are threatened, so this guide focuses on how to recognize them, where they live, and why they need protection.
Below you will find 23 freshwater and riverine species recorded in India. We include simple ID notes, habitat, where they occur in India, and conservation status. Sea turtles and tortoises are covered on other pages.
Table of Contents
Turtles in India
1. Tricarinate Hill Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Melanochelys tricarinata
- Size: to about 6 inches
- Status: Endangered
- Where in India: Assam and Uttar Pradesh hill forests
Small terrestrial turtle with three sharp keels on a dark domed shell and a yellow plastron. Feet lack strong webbing which fits its land based lifestyle. Found in deciduous hill forests and leaf litter.
2. Red-crowned Roofed Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Batagur kachuga
- Size: to about 20 inches
- Status: Critically Endangered
- Where in India: Chambal River system and nearby stretches of the Ganga basin
Large river turtle with a flat olive shell and yellowish plastron. Breeding males show bright head colors with red and blue patches. Needs wide sandbanks for nesting and clean, flowing water. Threats include sand mining, dams, bycatch, and historic harvest.
3. Indian Softshell Turtle
- Family: Trionychidae
- Scientific name: Nilssonia gangetica
- Size: to about 28 inches
- Status: Endangered
- Where in India: Ganga, Indus, Mahanadi and large reservoirs
Big softshell with olive disk and a long snorkel like snout. Juveniles have eye like spots on the carapace that fade with age. Occurs in major river systems and large lakes. Overharvest and trade are the main threats along with bycatch and water pollution.
4. Southeast Asian Box Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Cuora amboinensis kamaroma
- Size: to about 8 inches
- Status: Endangered
- Where in India: Northeast and Andaman and Nicobar region, marshes and paddy fields
High domed dark shell with pale plastron patches and bold yellow head stripes. Semi aquatic and common in rice fields, swamps, and slow canals. Heavily traded in parts of Asia.
5. Spotted Pond Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Geoclemys hamiltonii
- Size: to about 14 inches
- Status: Endangered
- Where in India: North and northwest plains including Rajasthan, Punjab, Assam
Striking yellow and white spotting on head and limbs. Three raised keels on a dark carapace with yellow markings. Lives in oxbows, ponds, and slow rivers. Threats include egg harvest, bycatch, and trade.
6. Keeled Box Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Cuora mouhotii
- Size: to about 7 inches
- Status: Endangered
- Where in India: Northeast hill forests
Flattened shell with three sharp keels and serrated rear edge. A forest dweller that forages on the ground and near small streams. Sensitive to habitat loss and collection.
7. Indian Black Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Melanochelys trijuga
- Size: to about 9 inches
- Status: Least Concern
- Where in India: Widespread in peninsular India and the northeast
Dark smooth carapace with a dark plastron. Semi aquatic and often seen in temple ponds, small lakes, and quiet streams near woodlands. Some local harvest occurs.
8. Northern River Terrapin
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Batagur baska
- Size: to about 24 inches
- Status: Critically Endangered
- Where in India: Sundarbans and tidal rivers of the east
Massive river terrapin that uses estuaries, tidal creeks, and lower rivers. Needs broad nesting beaches. Threats include bycatch, egg loss, and conversion of mangrove and sandbar habitats.
9. Three-striped Roofed Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Batagur dhongoka
- Size: to about 16 inches
- Status: Critically Endangered
- Where in India: Ganga basin including Chambal and tributaries
Flattened olive shell with a single keel and a pale plastron. Uses large rivers with sandbars for nesting. Impacted by dams, sand mining, and past collection.
10. Indian Narrow-headed Softshell
- Family: Trionychidae
- Scientific name: Chitra indica
- Size: up to about 43 inches
- Status: Endangered
- Where in India: Large rivers including Ganga and Godavari systems
Very large flat softshell with a long narrow head and pale underside. Prefers deep sandy river channels where it ambushes fish. Sensitive to disturbance and sand extraction.
11. Indian Flapshell Turtle
- Family: Trionychidae
- Scientific name: Lissemys punctata
- Size: to about 14 inches
- Status: Vulnerable
- Where in India: Widespread in ponds, tanks, and slow rivers
Olive brown softshell with pale spots and a rounded disk. Common in village ponds and flooded fields. Often seen during monsoon. Heavy local harvest and trade have reduced numbers in some areas.
12. Indian Tent Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Pangshura tentoria
- Size: to about 12 inches
- Status: Least Concern
- Where in India: Ganga, Godavari, Krishna, and Mahanadi basins
Brown keeled shell with a light plastron that has dark patches. Webbed feet. Common on mid sized rivers and ponds. Often confused with Indian Roofed Turtle which has a crescent near the eye.
13. Black Softshell Turtle
- Family: Trionychidae
- Scientific name: Nilssonia nigricans
- Size: to about 35 inches
- Status: Critically Endangered
- Where in India: Assam and Arunachal Pradesh
Very rare softshell known from a few wetlands and temple ponds. Darker overall with a broad head. Conservation programs focus on head starting and habitat protection.
14. Assam and Asian Leaf Turtles
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific names: Cyclemys gemeli in northeast India and closely related Cyclemys dentata complex regionally
- Size: to about 10 inches
- Status: Near Threatened
- Where in India: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur hill forests
Flattened brown shell with faint radiating lines on each scute and a small midline keel. A forest stream turtle that often walks on the forest floor after rains. Collected for food and the pet trade in parts of Southeast Asia.
15. Indian Eyed Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Morenia petersi
- Size: to about 8 inches
- Status: Endangered
- Where in India: Assam and Uttar Pradesh floodplains
Dark domed shell with greenish lines and loops. Plastron is yellow to orange with dark patches. Webbed feet. Favors slow rivers and floodplain wetlands. Threatened by conversion to agriculture and local harvest.
16. Assam Roofed Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Pangshura sylhetensis
- Size: to about 8 inches
- Status: Critically Endangered
- Where in India: Assam and parts of northeast hill streams and ponds
High peaked carapace with a spiky midline and serrated rear edge. Yellow underside with black marks and a yellow facial stripe. A stream and pond species at risk from bycatch and habitat change.
17. Asian Giant Softshell
- Family: Trionychidae
- Scientific name: Pelochelys cantorii
- Size: often to about 40 inches and very heavy
- Status: Critically Endangered
- Where in India: Eastern rivers and coastal systems including Odisha and West Bengal reports
One of the largest freshwater turtles on Earth. Broad soft disk, small head, and pale underside. Lives in deep river pools and estuaries. Eggs and adults have been heavily harvested in parts of its range.
18. Brown Roofed Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Pangshura smithii
- Size: to about 9 inches
- Status: Near Threatened
- Where in India: Indus and Ganga systems including Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab
Flattened olive brown carapace and dark plastron. Gray head with brown spot behind each eye. A river turtle that uses sandbars and quiet side channels. Pressures include local harvest and habitat change.
19. Indian Peacock Softshell
- Family: Trionychidae
- Scientific name: Nilssonia hurum
- Size: to about 24 inches
- Status: Endangered
- Where in India: North and east river systems including Chambal and Ganga
Olive disk with eye like spots when young which fade in adults. Powerful swimmer that prefers large rivers. Affected by egg harvest, bycatch, and loss of sandbar nesting sites.
20. Leith’s Softshell
- Family: Trionychidae
- Scientific name: Nilssonia leithii
- Size: to about 25 inches
- Status: Critically Endangered
- Where in India: Peninsular rivers and reservoirs in the south
Large softshell with olive gray disk and yellow spots in juveniles. Lives in big rivers and reservoirs. Pressures include take for food and disturbance at nesting sites.
21. Cochin Forest Cane Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Vijayachelys silvatica
- Size: to about 5 inches
- Status: Endangered
- Where in India: Western Ghats of Kerala and Tamil Nadu
Tiny forest turtle with a flattened brown shell, yellow plastron, and large eyes with reddish iris. Strictly terrestrial in dense leaf litter of moist forests. Threats include forest fire and habitat conversion.
22. Indian Roofed Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Pangshura tecta
- Size: to about 9 inches
- Status: Vulnerable
- Where in India: Northern and eastern plains including West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh
Brown keeled shell, light plastron with dark patches, and a crescent mark near the eye that helps with ID. Common in slow backwaters, ponds, and small rivers.
23. Crowned River Turtle
- Family: Geoemydidae
- Scientific name: Hardella thurjii
- Size: to about 24 inches
- Status: Endangered
- Where in India: Ganga and Indus drainages including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Assam
Large flat river turtle with a broken midline keel and yellow head stripes that can look like a crown. Uses slow rivers, canals, and lakes. Threats include bycatch and loss of nesting banks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you keep a turtle as a pet in India
Laws protect many native turtles. Some species cannot be collected or traded. Always check current rules in your state and only consider turtles that are legal and ethically sourced. Captive care needs space, filtration, heat, and UVB, so plan for real costs.
Are Indian turtles dangerous
Softshell turtles can deliver strong bites if handled. The bigger concern is salmonella which all turtles can carry. Wash hands after any contact and keep turtles away from kitchen areas.
Where can I see turtles in the wild
Protected areas such as the National Chambal Sanctuary, Kaziranga, Keoladeo, and Sundarbans offer the best chance on guided visits. Early mornings on calm stretches of river work well for basking species. Keep distance at nesting banks.
Conclusion
From tiny forest dwellers to giant softshells, India’s freshwater turtles are a vital part of rivers and wetlands. Clean water, safe nesting banks, and smart fisheries make the difference between decline and recovery. Share this guide, support local conservation groups, and report illegal trade. With awareness and care these turtles can thrive for generations.