Joel Sartore Joel Sartore

National Geographic Photographer and Speaker

Keyword: softshell turtle

Photo: A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

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ANI104-00304

A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo: A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

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ANI104-00303

A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo: A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

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ANI104-00302

A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo: A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

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ANI104-00301

A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo: A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove.

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ANI104-00290

A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Photo: A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove.

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ANI104-00289

A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Photo: A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove.

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ANI104-00288

A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Photo: Aubry’s flapshell turtle (Cycloderma aubryi) at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa.

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Aubry’s flapshell turtle (Cycloderma aubryi) at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa.

Picture of an endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

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An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Picture of an endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

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An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo: An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

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ANI080-00502

An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo: An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

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ANI080-00503

An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo: An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

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ANI080-00504

An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo: An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

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ANI080-00505

An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Picture of a vulnerable Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center.

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ANI080-00506

An Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center. This is a vulnerable species.

Picture of a vulnerable Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center.

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ANI080-00507

An Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center. This is a vulnerable species.

Picture of a vulnerable Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center.

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ANI080-00508

An Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center. This is a vulnerable species.

Picture of a female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00419

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00420

A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00421

A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

A picture of a male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00422

A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is released into an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00423

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is released into an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is released into an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00424

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is released into an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) inside an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00425

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) inside an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00415

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00416

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00417

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00418

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A media team records a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) through a window at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00403

A media team records a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) through a window at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00404

A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is stimulated at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00405

A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is stimulated at the Suzhou Zoo in China. The hope was that he would produce sperm to artificially inseminate the female, unfortunately, he produced none. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is stimulated at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00406

A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is stimulated at the Suzhou Zoo in China. The hope was that he would produce sperm to artificially inseminate the female, unfortunately, he produced none. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00407

A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00408

A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A crowd watches a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00409

A crowd watches a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: Zookeepers search an enclosure for a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

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ANI080-00410

Zookeepers search an enclosure for a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

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