Apr 7, 2026 |
The Zambezi soft-shelled turtle, a globally threatened species, has one of its most important refuges in Gorongosa National Park.
At this time of year, females of the species leave Lake Urema and travel long distances to the partially flooded savannah of Gorongosa National Park (GNP) to lay their eggs.
This movement marks the breeding phase of one of the rarest and most remarkable turtle species in the park’s fauna. Cycloderma frenatum can weigh up to 18 kilograms and is classified as globally threatened, with Gorongosa regarded as the likely refuge of its largest remaining population.
According to information shared by Piotr Naskrecki, director of the E.O. Wilson Laboratory, located in GNP, the females seek areas close to small bodies of water, in a strategy that may reduce the risk of hatchlings being preyed upon by adults of the species, large fish and crocodiles.
This seasonal movement reinforces Gorongosa’s importance for the conservation of this freshwater species during a decisive period for population renewal.
Gorongosa National Park hosts a small turtle fauna, but one of considerable ecological interest, especially the Zambezi softshell turtle, one of the most striking reptiles found in this protected area of Mozambique.
Observation of this behaviour underlines the importance of Gorongosa not only as a sanctuary for large mammals and birds, but also as crucial territory for the conservation of less visible, yet ecologically important species, such as threatened freshwater reptiles.
Photos: Piotr Naskrecki/Gorongosa
