Quick answer
IUCN status: Critically EndangeredPainted terrapin at a glance
The Painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) is a reptile in the family Geoemydidae. Its IUCN Red List category is Critically Endangered.
| Scientific name | Batagur borneoensis |
|---|---|
| Indonesian name | Tuntong laut |
| Group | Reptiles |
| Family | Geoemydidae |
| Range in Indonesia | Sumatra (Aceh and North Sumatra) and Borneo |
| Linked habitats | Mangroves, Freshwater Wetlands |
| Diet | Mangrove fruit, leaves, crustaceans and snails |
| Range in Indonesia | Aceh Tamiang, Langkat and Borneo |
| Key feature | Breeding males have a white head with a red stripe |
| Other names | Tuntong laut, beluku |
| Legal protection in Indonesia | Protected under ministerial regulation P.106/2018 |
| IUCN status | Critically Endangered · IUCN Red List (via GBIF) · checked 25 September 2026 |
In this guide (10)
What is the painted terrapin?
The painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) is a large river turtle of the family Geoemydidae that lives in estuaries and mangrove forests. Females are much bigger: Animal Diversity Web gives over 60 cm for females but only 30–40 cm for males. For most of the year the shell is a dull grey-brown.
In the breeding season the male's shell turns pale so its three black stripes stand out, its head becomes white and a red stripe appears between the eyes. This colour change gives the species its English name. Indonesian regulation P.106/2018 calls it beluku.
Evidence: Animal Diversity Web — Callagur borneoensis (painted terrapin) ↗ · Mongabay — Pulling the stunningly unique painted terrapin back from the brink (2016) ↗ · JDIH Kemenko Infrastruktur — Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 (lampiran jenis satwa dilindungi) ↗
Where does the painted terrapin live?
The painted terrapin spends most of its life in river estuaries and mangrove forests, while females come ashore on sandy sea beaches to nest. The Reptile Database lists its Indonesian range as Sumatra and Borneo, with its type locality on Borneo.
On Sumatra, conservation work centres on Aceh Tamiang Regency in Aceh and Langkat Regency in North Sumatra. Mongabay (2016) describes Aceh Tamiang as probably the species' last major stronghold in Indonesia. Outside Indonesia it is recorded from southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.
Evidence: The Reptile Database — Batagur borneoensis ↗ · Turtle Survival Alliance — Indonesia: Sumatra programme ↗ · Mongabay — Pulling the stunningly unique painted terrapin back from the brink (2016) ↗
What does the painted terrapin eat?
The painted terrapin eats mainly plants, such as mangrove fruit, leaves that fall into the water and shoots of riverside plants. Animal Diversity Web notes that molluscs and shellfish are sometimes eaten too. Mongabay says its slightly upturned snout helps it feed at the surface.
A 2025 study in a coastal conservation area in Aceh, however, found a more mixed diet: 41 percent crustaceans, 41 percent plant material and 18 percent gastropods. The researchers also observed various crustaceans and snails being eaten.
Evidence: Animal Diversity Web — Callagur borneoensis (painted terrapin) ↗ · Mongabay — Pulling the stunningly unique painted terrapin back from the brink (2016) ↗ · Journal of Tropical Biodiversity and Biotechnology — Mawardi et al. (2025), habitat and diet of Batagur borneoensis on the coast of Aceh ↗
How does the painted terrapin breed?
Female painted terrapins leave the rivers to nest on sandy sea beaches, often beaches that sea turtles also use. According to Animal Diversity Web, females nest at night at low tide, dig a hole about 30 cm deep and may nest two or three times a season. A clutch holds 10–25 eggs, usually 10–12, which hatch after 70–90 days.
Hatchlings then head for the river mouth. The species tends to nest at the same sites and times each year. In Aceh Tamiang and Langkat, nest patrols run from December to February.
Evidence: Animal Diversity Web — Callagur borneoensis (painted terrapin) ↗ · Mongabay — Pulling the stunningly unique painted terrapin back from the brink (2016) ↗ · Turtle Survival Alliance — Indonesia: Sumatra programme ↗
Why is the painted terrapin endangered?
The painted terrapin is endangered because its eggs are taken, its habitat is being destroyed, and adults are hunted for meat and pets. The IUCN lists it as Critically Endangered; Mongabay places it among the world's 25 most endangered freshwater turtles. Animal Diversity Web notes its eggs are worth over five times as much as chicken eggs, and fixed nesting sites make whole clutches easy to take.
In Aceh, mangroves are cut for charcoal or cleared for oil palm and fish or shrimp ponds. Drowning in nets and sand mining add further threats. In 2016 Satucita Foundation founder Joko Guntoro estimated about 400 in the Tamiang River.
Evidence: Animal Diversity Web — Callagur borneoensis (painted terrapin) ↗ · Mongabay — Pulling the stunningly unique painted terrapin back from the brink (2016) ↗
How can the painted terrapin be protected?
The painted terrapin is protected in Indonesia under regulation P.106/2018. In Aceh Tamiang and Langkat, patrol teams move eggs from nests to protected hatcheries in the villages of Pusung Kapal and Jaring Halus, then rear the young for more than six months before release. Mongabay reports that guarding eggs on the beach raised hatching success from 10 percent to about 70 percent in 2016.
People can help by not buying or eating terrapin eggs, by telling officers about terrapins caught in nets, and by reporting illegal trade to the BKSDA.
Evidence: JDIH Kemenko Infrastruktur — Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 (lampiran jenis satwa dilindungi) ↗ · Turtle Survival Alliance — Indonesia: Sumatra programme ↗ · Mongabay — Pulling the stunningly unique painted terrapin back from the brink (2016) ↗
Explore related habitats
These habitat relationships are supported by species sources in this guide. This is not a complete range map.
Common questions about the Painted terrapin
What is the scientific name of the Painted terrapin?
The scientific name of the Painted terrapin is Batagur borneoensis, in the family Geoemydidae. In Indonesian it is called Tuntong laut.
Where can the Painted terrapin be found in Indonesia?
In Indonesia, this guide records the Painted terrapin in: Sumatra (Aceh and North Sumatra) and Borneo.
Source-supported habitats: Mangroves, Freshwater Wetlands.
What does the Painted terrapin eat?
Diet of the Painted terrapin: mangrove fruit, leaves, crustaceans and snails.
What is the conservation status of the Painted terrapin?
On the IUCN Red List, the Painted terrapin is listed as Critically Endangered: it is considered to face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Source: IUCN Red List (via GBIF), checked 25 September 2026.
This global category is separate from legal protection in Indonesia. To check whether the Painted terrapin is a protected species, consult the current national list of protected species or contact the local BKSDA (natural resources conservation office).
Sources & references
- The Reptile Database — Batagur borneoensis ↗
- Animal Diversity Web — Callagur borneoensis (painted terrapin) ↗
- Mongabay — Pulling the stunningly unique painted terrapin back from the brink (2016) ↗
- Turtle Survival Alliance — Indonesia: Sumatra programme ↗
- Journal of Tropical Biodiversity and Biotechnology — Mawardi et al. (2025), habitat and diet of Batagur borneoensis on the coast of Aceh ↗
- JDIH Kemenko Infrastruktur — Permen LHK P.106/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/12/2018 (lampiran jenis satwa dilindungi) ↗
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, version 2026-1, via GBIF (CC BY 4.0) ↗
References can change. Check dates and context in the original source.
Cite this page
PanduanHewan. (2026, 25 September). Painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis). PanduanHewan.org. https://panduanhewan.org/en/species/painted-terrapin/