Discovering Mysteries S4 - EP01: Ruler of the River

The abundant rain and waters of the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park flow into the area’s many winding mountain streams and sparkling waterfalls. In this aquatic environment that’s sometimes calm and sometimes swiftly moving, there are a total of 12 freshwater turtle species, making up over a third of China’s total number of turtle species.

Deep in the rainforests of Diaoluo Mountain, a freshwater turtle lives in the mountain streams. This flat turtle spends most of the day lurking in underwater rock crevices, only emerging in the light of early morning or as the sun begins to set. The other creatures of the stream fear his sharp, deadly beak and vicious claws.

Not only his shell, but the turtle’s entire body, every scale from head to tail and beak to toe is perfectly adapted for battle. He has few natural predators in these waters.

This is the Big-headed Turtle. Due to the large head which gives the turtle its name, it is unable to retract its head into its shell. Instead, to protect it, he grows a thick, hardened layer of skin. His tail is also much longer than those of other freshwater turtles. This long tail may help him climb steep slopes in high altitude streams.

This turtle, located at the top of the food chain, cannot simply rely on passive defense as many turtle species do. Instead, it must take the initiative to attack.

This unlucky fish has caught the predator’s eye.

The turtle moves swiftly and attacks ferociously.

His powerful bite makes it impossible for prey to escape. The turtle’s powerful front claws and strong jaws tear the food into pieces, and he begins to dine below the water.

Today though, it seems he doesn’t have much of an appetite. That might be because there are so many fish and crabs here that he can afford to throw away his leftovers!

After his snack, the turtle climbs ashore and begins sunbathing. This is a daily habit for cold-blooded animals.

Frequent typhoons and downpours in the tropical rainforest often lead to floods, forcing many Big-headed Turtles out of their homes. Don’t worry though. They won’t get lost. After the water subsides, no matter how hard the journey, they can always find their way home.