Like other soft-shell turtle species, they are thought to have the ability to extract oxygen from the water through their skin, which helps them stay underwater for long periods of time.

One of just four Yangtze giant softshell turtles remaining on the planet has died. The turtle, estimated to be over 100 years old, was found dead in a lake in central Hanoi, Vietnam, on Tuesday.

The black soft shell turtles, which are often termed "vultures of the water" for its critical scavenging role in maintaining aquatic ecosystems, were in abundance in rivers in Assam and parts of ...