There are at least 300 different species slowly roaming the planet & they come in all shapes.
Did you know that turtles are one of the oldest reptiles in the world? They came into existence around 220 million years ago during the Middle Jurassic era.
Personally, I've always loved turtles.
There are at least 300 different species slowly roaming the planet and they come in all shapes and sizes, but some of them stand out a little more than others.
So I've gathered a list of some of the funkiest turtles struttin' their stuff.
Most recently, a rare yellow turtle was discovered in India, so I've chosen to show you that species first.
1. Rare Yellow (possibly albino) Turtle
The wondrous creature was reportedly rescued by residents in the village of Sujanpur after they spotted the remarkable reptile roaming around their community.
"The whole shell and body of the rescued turtle is yellow," said wildlife warden Bhanoomitra Acharya, "this is a rare turtle, I have never seen one like this."
2. Big-Headed Turtle
The big-headed turtle is found in Southeast Asia. As you can see, its most prominent feature of this species is the gigantic head. The head is so big that it can't retract its head into its shell, so it has a bony “helmet” to protect itself.
3. Pig-Nosed Turtle
The pig-nosed turtle is indigenous to New Guinea and Australia. It’s the only freshwater turtle with flippers like marine turtles, and its nose can act as a snorkel, protruding from the water’s surface.
Unfortunately, the population of pig-nosed turtles has decreased because they’re captured in large numbers for the exotic pet industry.
4. African Helmeted Turtle
What's this turtle smiling about? Perhaps it's the strong odor it's producing with the four glands on each of its limbs. Does the Rock smell what this turtle is cookin'?
The African helmeted turtle is native to the African continent and has a large distribution from Ghana to Cape Town. The turtle can also be found in Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula.
5. Red-Bellied Short-Necked Turtle
Their shell is orange at the edges and on the underside, and then the color fades as they get older. Here's something pretty neat: When hanging out in the sun the turtle starts crying to cool off. The tears run down the turtle’s face and into its mouth.
6. Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtle
Despite looking really creepy, this turtle pees out of its mouth. This weird ability allows the turtle to survive in briny water because it doesn’t lose so much liquid from its body. If it ingested too much briny water, the turtle would be poisoned.
7. Eastern Long-Necked Turtle
This thing looks like something straight out of Jurassic Park, right?
It's extremely long neck can grow as long as its shell, and it's so long that the turtle has to bend its head under its shell instead of retracting it.
8. Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtle
It looks like someone ran this one over with a steamroller.
It spends about 95% of its life buried in the sand or mud at the bottom of freshwater rivers and streams. It hangs out motionless while it waits to eat its prey. It only surfaces twice a day to take a breath of fresh air.
9. Mary River Turtle
Aside from its wild hairdo, there are long protrusions under the turtle’s chin called barbels. It takes 25 years for female Mary River turtles to reach maturity and 30 years for males, which is an exceptionally long time for turtles.
On the streets, it's inherited the name“punk rock turtle.”
10. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
With a little help from a giant rat, this species has become masterfully trained in martial arts, fighting crime, skateboarding in the sewer, and kickin' butt. They're often seen hanging around a news reporter and eating massive amounts of pizza whenever they get a chance.
Comentários