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Green Haired Turtle That Breathes Through Its Genitals Added To Endangered List

Green Haired Turtle That Breathes Through Its Genitals Added To Endangered List

The Mary river turtle is on the reptile at risk list

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

An adorable little turtle, which has a bright green mohawk and breathes through its genitals, is now on the endangered list.

The Mary river turtle has a 'punky' appearance due to the green algae which grows on its body and little pointed growths under its chin.

It also has gill-like organs in an orifice called a cloaca, which it uses for mating and excretion, that allows it to live underwater for three days at a time.

YouTube/Australian Geographic

The turtle, which only lives in Mary river in Queensland, has now been included on the Zoological Society of London's list of the world's most vulnerable reptiles.

Back in the 1960s and 70s the turtles' nests were raided and the babies sold as pets, which could go some way to explaining why they're on the list in the first place.

The Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (Edge) list names all the most at-risk species in the world and the Mary river turtle is ranked at 30 on the list of 572 reptiles.

Topping the list is the unfortunately named Madagascar big-headed turtle, which are hunted for food.

Rikki Gumbs, co-ordinator of Edge reptiles, said: "Reptiles often receive the short end of the stick in conservation terms, compared with the likes of birds and mammals. However, the Edge reptiles list highlights just how unique, vulnerable and amazing these creatures really are."

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He added: "Just as with tigers, rhinos and elephants, it is vital we do our utmost to save these unique and too often overlooked animals.

"Many Edge reptiles are the sole survivors of ancient lineages, whose branches of the tree of life stretch back to the age of the dinosaurs. If we lose these species there will be nothing like them left on Earth."

Source: The Guardian

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News