Pelusios sinuatus
The Serrated Hinged Terrapin is commonly encountered in large rivers, dams and lakes from northern Kwazulu-Natal, through Mpumalanga and Limpopo and northwards to Somalia. They’re often seen basking on rocks, fallen trees and sandbanks (and even on top of hippos!). During wet weather, Serrated Hinged Terrapins will migrate over land and establish themselves in isolated bodies of water. When their watery abodes dry up during the dry season or a drought, these terrapins will aestivate under the roots of trees on the bank. They are carnivorous, feeding on aquatic invertebrates (especially molluscs), amphibians, frogs and fish and scavenging on crocodile kills, and have been recorded as picking ticks from wallowing animals. In the summer months, females lay clutches of 7-30 eggs near the water. Those eggs that are not discovered by water monitors hatch 3-6 months later. Fully grown they measure up to 55cm in length, with the heavier females weighing as much as 7kg.
de Wets Wild 
They definitely do have a slightly alien, as in extra-terrestrial, quality
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Definitely other-worldly!
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Very brave creatures to hitch a ride on a hippos back! Thanks for the interesting post and super pics.
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Your posts are always interesting, Dries. Thank you and hope you all are doing well.
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Thank you, Jane! Yes, we’re fine and I hope the same goes for you and your dear ones?
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Amazing, how they congregate on the back of a hippo! Does the hippo mind?
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They don’t seem to mind at all, though one would think they have every reason to feel afronted at being taken advantage of!
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The header shot appeals to me too: it looks both exhausted and surprised!
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Thank you, Anne! Lucky to have him venture out of the water towards us instead of jumping in to hide as they usually do.
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I learned a new word “aestivate” from your post. Thanks!
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That’s very kind of you, thank you Hien!
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That header shot makes me laugh. Looks like that poor guy (?) is struggling mightily to get out of the water. 🙂
janet
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😀
To me he looks like an alien emerging from his flying saucer, stiff after a long journey, insisting on being taken to our leader…
Where I’d take him I really don’t know. Depends on how upset he sounds, I guess.
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😂😂😂.
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