A species of Australian turtle has been pushed to the brink of extinction over the course of just one month after a mystery disease swept through its habitat in New South Wales. Alarmed scientists are pinning their hopes on a small band of survivors. The Bellinger river snapping turtle, a species previously considered to be under no threat, has been virtually wiped out by a disease that causes them to become lethargic and then develop lesions on the eyes and throughout the body. Josh Maher, of Australian Fauna Management, says repopulating the river could take a hundred years. The turtle is only found in its eponymous river on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. It is is considered endearing by many conservationists, because its face is set in a permanent grin. http://bit.ly/1Rb6oOt http://bit.ly/1fJ5yqZ This video was produced by Wochit using http://wochit.com
#okc #oklahomacity #news
No comments:
Post a Comment