#4 MataMata

No, the picture above is not a couple of leaves, but a turtle! The Mata Mata turtle is native to South America, and it is famous for its appearance. Not only is their shell black and brown and resembles dead leaves, but their head is flat and triangular. Their necks are long and known to be bumpy and rough to touch!

These turtles are, like their cousins, slow, and they can be found all over South America in rivers, marshes, and swamps, blackwater streams, and they can rarely be found on land. They do not like shallow waters, and the only moment you can catch a glimpse of one on land is when they lay their eggs.