This Odd-Looking Turtle Always Has a Smile on Its Face and Feeds in an Incredible Way

Flaps everywhere. Image credit: Stan Shebs
The turtle’s skin and shell also provides a surface for algae and weeds to grow on, further disguising it as an uninviting piece of rock or wood. It’s an excellent camouflage that does a great job deterring predators – and luring unsuspecting prey.

As the flaps are well-innervated, they pick up vibrations while waving about in the water. They function much like cats’ whiskers: they inform the turtle about the flow and movement of the water, something which is useful both for hunting and avoiding big splashy dangers like crocodiles entering the water.