#Elusor macrurus

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Uncharismatic Fact of the Day

It’s not just gas- the Mary River turtle has two ways of breathing. While on the surface, this turtle takes in air through its mouth and lungs, but when its underwater Elusor macrurus breathes through a set of gills located in the cloaca.

(Image: a Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) sporting a stylish algae ‘do by Chris van Wyk)

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[warningsine]

Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.

The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s largest freshwater turtles, weighing up to 8kg. You might know it as the bum-breathing punk turtle – it can stay underwater for days, extracting oxygen through its cloaca, and algae growing on its head can look like a mohawk. It’s also one of the most threatened. This species is found only in the Mary River in south-east Queensland, which empties into the sea near K'Gari/Fraser Island.

Despite its highly restricted range, many Australians would have seen this turtle. In the 1960s and ’70s, thousands of turtle eggs were harvested from the banks of the Mary River and hatched in captivity. The hatchlings were sold as “penny turtles” throughout the country.

Back then, no one knew these turtles belonged to a unique species restricted to a single river. Neither did anyone know that their sale – often as Christmas gifts due to their hatching time – was pushing the species towards extinction.

Intense egg harvesting, habitat changes and introduced predators such as foxes have drastically reduced the Mary River turtle population. Breeding female numbers fell 95% between 1970 and 2000. Even more worrisome is that the population consists mainly of older adults. That’s often a warning sign of a species’ imminent extinction.

However, it is not all doom and gloom for the Mary River turtle. In 2001, the people of the Tiaro district bordering the river launched a conservation program. A recent review of this community-led program found things seem to be turning around for this iconic species.

A community-driven rescue

Tiaro is a small town with about 800 residents. Some of the most productive Mary River turtle nesting areas are close to the town. This inspired the Tiaro & District Landcare Group to take action.

Their work was mainly focused on protecting turtle nests. Tiaro is surrounded by farms, mainly for cattle. The group erected fences to stop cattle trampling the nests, placed covers over nests to shield them from predators and recorded nesting activities.

These efforts have resulted in thousands of young Mary River turtles entering the river every year.

Enlisting the help of experts

The community soon realised they needed scientific help to develop an effective management plan. They hit upon an inventive fundraiser, selling homemade chocolate turtles, to support research.

The money provided scholarships for several higher-degree research students. It also paid for research equipment.

And the support went beyond money. The people of Tiaro provided accommodation, transport, local knowledge, land access and enthusiasm.

To date, the joint efforts of the community and scientists have resulted in 16 peer-reviewed scientific articles and six higher-degree research theses. We now know much more about the turtles’ ecological requirements, population status and threats.

The published works have featured heavily in development, environmental management and natural resource planning throughout the catchment. As federal environment minister, Peter Garrett even cited information from this research program when he vetoed controversial state government plans for the Traveston Crossing Dam in 2009.

This long-term research effort has raised the profile of the turtle and the community that supports its preservation. A bronze turtle statue now stands proudly in the middle of Tiaro.

The statue is testament to the community’s dedication and the turtle’s local significance. It’s both a symbol of successful conservation and a tourist attraction.

Our turtles still need protection

The Mary River turtle remains threatened, as do other Australian turtle species. A scientific assessment panel has recommended upgrading the species to critically endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

This is due to the knowledge gained through the community-led research program rather than an increased extinction risk.

We argue that the outlook for the Mary River turtle is brighter now than when it was first listed as endangered 22 years ago. This is because the research program has enabled national priorities to be set accurately. As a result, local water resource planning and strategic development throughout the catchment properly take the turtle’s ecology into account.

By playing to each other’s strengths, community members and scientists have given the Mary River turtle a much better outlook.

The Mary River turtle is unique in its appearance and evolutionary history. It stands out as the sole species in its genus, having diverged from all other living species about 50 million years ago. To put this into perspective, humans separated from our closest relatives, the chimpanzees and bonobos, less than 10 million years ago.

The species is listed at number 30 on the EDGE of Existence program, a global conservation initiative focusing on evolutionarily distinct threatened species.

Australia’s freshwater turtles play a vital role in maintaining freshwater ecosystems. They are also culturally important for First Nations people.

The advent of similar community-researcher conservation projects, such as 1 Million Turtles and Turtles Forever, suggests the future is looking brighter for Australia’s freshwater turtles.

[thecreatureawaits]

The Creature Awaits #47:

Each week I plan to feature an amazing creature, admiring God's fantastic artistry.  Hopefully it’ll brighten someone’s day to see something new and interesting if they haven’t seen it before. : )

(photo by the Tiaro & District Landcare Group's Mary River Turtle Project.  You can learn more about what they're doing to save this beautiful, endangered species here: https://www.facebook.com/MaryRiverTurtleProjectTiaroLandcare )

The Mary River Turtle

A.K.A: The Green Haired Turtle

Scientific Name: Elusor macrurus

Region:  Almost exclusively in the Mary River of Queensland, Australia

Size:  Shell length of ~19.7" (~50cm)

Interesting Note:  This unique and charming turtle sports several unusual traits.  They have relatively long tails for a turtle - up to 2/3 the length of their shell.  As you can see in the above photo, they also have noticeable barbels on their chin and algae growing on top of their heads.  Their design is somewhat streamlined for a turtle, including their large and wide webbed hind feet and proportionately small head, giving them a swifter swimming speed than many.  They also breathe both through their mouth and by absorbing oxygen through their cloaca..which is admittedly a bit unpleasant to think about, but interesting nonetheless.

Sadly, this is another species that has become endangered, primarily due to a rush in the mid-1960s through early 1970s to snatch them up for the pet trade.  In 1974, wild collection did become illegal; however, and groups such as the Tiaro & District Landcare Group and The Australian Freshwater Turtle Conservation and Research Association are working to return them to "a healthy, stable population." : )

[natureisthegreatestartist]

What in the world is this? It’s a Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus), one of the oddest and most endangered reptiles. Native to Australia, it has algae on its head that looks like green hair and somehow manages to breathe through glands in its reproductive organs. Freaky and fabulous, yes?

[shinyx2]

(via Threatened: A Green-Haired Turtle That Can Breathe Through Its Genitals - The New York Times)

[cypherdecypher]

Animal of the Day!

Mary River Turtle (Elusor macrurus)

(Photo by J Cann)

Conservation Status- Endangered

Habitat- Australia

Size (Weight/Length)- 42 cm

Diet- Aquatic plants; Algae

Cool Facts- Mary River turtles are found only in their namesake river in Australia. Despite being the largest species of turtle in Australia, they’re also one of the rarest. Due to being introduced into the pet trade in 1960, their wild population plummeted. In 2007, breeding attempts began to increase their population and hatchlings were released later that year. Often times, they are covered in algae which gives the turtles a green afro. They can also breath through their butt.

Rating- 11/10 (A happy, little friend.)

[mossfernsandlichen]

The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is an endangered short-necked turtle that is endemic to the Mary River in south-east Queensland, Australia. 

[ourcollectiveascension]

The Rock N Roll Turtle

The Mary River turtle, Elusor macrurus, is an endangered short-necked turtle that inhabits the Mary River in South-East Queensland, Australia.

In the 1960s and 1970s, they were popular as pets in Australia, with about 15,000 sent to shops every year during a ten-year period. They were originally known as the "Penny Turtle" or "Pet Shop Turtle." Hatchlings have a straight carapace length of 2–3.5 cm. Their green mohawk are made up of algae. This often covers the shell as well as the head, and helps to camouflage the animal.

Read more

💚

[end0skeletal-undead]

The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is an endangered short-necked turtle that is endemic to the Mary River in south-east Queensland, Australia. The turtle is occasionally informally referred to as the green haired turtle due to the fact that many specimens are covered with growing strands of algae which resemble hair.

In the 1960s and 70s, the Mary River turtle was a popular pet in Australia; approximately 15,000 turtles were captured every year and sold in pet shops over a ten year period. Conservationists began a captive breeding program to release turtles into the wild in 2007 to boost their numbers.

(Photos by Gary Stephenson, Chris Van Wyk)

[veryenthusiasticenvirokid]

Really Cool Punk Turtle!!

If I were to be an animal (Other than a human), this turtle would definitely be on my list of favourite critters i’d choose to be.

I LOVE TURTLES!!! I think they’re absolutely wonderful. The turtle in particular we will be discussing today, is the Elusor macrurus, or The Mary River Turtle. This one i find especially interesting, because it grows a bright green algae mohawk on top of it’s head. Very punk. 

At first, people didn’t know where the Mary River turtle came from, then a man named “John Cann” found some in the Mary River, Queensland. Then they discovered that it is unfortunately endangered; it makes me upset that such an interesting animal has been compromised by human existence. It is Australia’s largest freshwater turtle and the only species in its genus!!

The breeding season is from October to December; they only start reproducing at around 20 years old and live to around 100!! What’s really interesting is the way they reproduce (We’re not going to analyze some turtle’s sex life’s, but here are some interesting facts that have to do with it, lol). These turtles have a multipurpose tail!! They basically, poop, reproduce, and breathe with it... Yeah, i’m glad i wasn’t made with these genes...

I think these turtles are great. I really want to pet it, however i don’t want to ruin it’s beautiful hairdo. 

-Jen🐢🐢🐢

[the-last-outpost]

Mary River Turtle (Elusor macrurus) @nationalaquarium in Baltimore #maryriverturtle #turtles #turtlesofinstagram #nationalaquarium #nationalaquariuminbaltimore #zoosmatter #aza @zoos_aquariums #aza2022 https://www.instagram.com/p/CiV-mdErgPe/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[vivimetalliun]

Tartaruga de moicano que respira pelos órgão genitais é um dos animais mais ameaçados

Tartaruga de moicano que respira pelos órgão genitais é um dos animais mais ameaçados

A tartaruga da espécie Mary River (Elusor macrurus) é tipo aquele seu amigo esquisitão com quem todo mundo simpatiza, mas que ninguém entende direito.

Para começar, os animais da espécie têm um moicano feito de algas – algo bem incomum na natureza. Mas as coisas ficam ainda mais esquisitas quando a gente lembra que essa tartaruga respira pelos genitais.

Apesar de suas particularidades – ou…

[equipodeproteccionanimal]

TORTUGA "PUNK". La tortuga Elusor Macrurus, es una tortuga de cuello corto y en peligro de extinción que habita en el río María en el sudeste de Queensland, Australia. ¿Qué les parece? https://www.instagram.com/p/CExT4xuFpV6/?igshid=1mrc42z1vjik8

[charvests]

Esta rara especie de tortuga con pelo en la cabeza y que respira por el ano está en peligro de extinción

Lo que ves en la imagen es real, esa tortuga tiene pelo, o casi. De hecho, se la conoce como la tortuga punk. No es el único de sus sorprendentes atributos. La llamada tortuga del río Mary (Elusor macrurus) es una caja de sorpresas. Ahora acaba…

  copyright 2018

from Esta rara especie de tortuga con pelo en la cabeza y que respira por el ano está en peligro de extinción via Esta rara especie de tortuga con pelo en la cabeza y que respira por el ano está en peligro de extinción December 18, 2018 at 04:14PM

[hvancouve]

Esta rara especie de tortuga con pelo en la cabeza y que respira por el ano está en peligro de extinción

Lo que ves en la imagen es real, esa tortuga tiene pelo, o casi. De hecho, se la conoce como la tortuga punk. No es el único de sus sorprendentes atributos. La llamada tortuga del río Mary (Elusor macrurus) es una caja de sorpresas. Ahora acaba…

copyright © 2016

          from Esta rara especie de tortuga con pelo en la cabeza y que respira por el ano está en peligro de extinción via Esta rara especie de tortuga con pelo en la cabeza y que respira por el ano está en peligro de extinción October 31, 2018 at 03:53AM