'Punk turtle' that breathes through the anus is on the verge of extinction

The Zoological Society of London has included the turtle Elusor macrurus, of unusual appearance, in its recent list of most vulnerable reptiles, reports Science Alert. At the moment, this chelonian is ranked 29.

The happy turtle lives only in the Mary River, in Queensland, Australia. Their specimens are barely 40 centimeters long, but they are famous for other details of their appearance. First of all, because in his head they exhibit a 'punk style hairstyle': a green crest.

Another unusual detail of the Elusor macrurus is its respiratory system: this turtle has gills in the anus, which is very useful to go under water for up to three days. In addition, the length of its tail is greater than that of its shell.

Thanks to its strange appearance and its incredible docility, this reptile became one of the favorite pets in Australia during the 1960s and 1970s. Throughout that time, pet stores across the country sold more than 15,000 pups per year. This trade and, in general, the aggressive interference of humans in their habitat, determined the current situation, when this turtle is in danger of extinction.

Rikki Gumbs, coordinator of the rescue project undertaken by the aforementioned Zoological Society, emphasizes that, regardless of the species, our task as humans is to do "everything possible to save these unique and often forgotten animals."