The Matamata Page!

If you are looking for information on the

Matamata turtle (Chelus fimbriatus)

You've come to the right place!

What is the Matamata anyway?  The matamata is a turtle that lives in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in northern South America.  It lives in slow moving, murky rivers or oxbow lakes.  Even though it is completely aquatic, it is not a very good swimmer.  The matamata is an ambush hunter.

What does the name mean?  The common name, matamata translates from Spanish to "I kill".  The scientific name Chelus fimbriatus means "fringed turtle".

What would you like to learn about the matamata?