[3] It is very large (being one of the largest freshwater turtles), feeding on fish, frogs, worms, crustaceans and molluscs, and even the occasional swimming small rodent or other mammal.

C. indica, like other softshell turtles, uses it flexible (and somewhat leathery) shell to dig itself deep into sandy lake and river bottoms; here, it patiently waits (with just its nose, mouth and eyes exposed) for potential prey to swim by.

When this happens, the turtle's head extends out of its shell at a high velocity in order to grab and then eat the prey.

[5][6] In a 2009 video from Animal Planet's show River Monsters, this turtle is seen quickly extending its head and long retractable neck out of its shell.

Conservationists have claimed the Nepali government's actions do not go far enough in protecting the turtles from natural and anthropogenic threats, such as increased flooding due to the worsening of monsoons caused by climate change, damming of rivers, and gravel mining.