The Amazing Pig-Nosed Turtle

**The amazing pig-nosed turtle**\ *1*  The turtle family is over 200 million years old. Turtles are among the oldest creatures in the world. But many turtle species are already extinct, while others are endangered, critically endangered or vulnerable. One vulnerable species is the pig-nosed turtle.\...

**The amazing pig-nosed turtle**\ *1*  The turtle family is over 200 million years old. Turtles are among the oldest creatures in the world. But many turtle species are already extinct, while others are endangered, critically endangered or vulnerable. One vulnerable species is the pig-nosed turtle.\ *2  *Pig-nosed turtles live in rivers in northern Australia and southern Papua New Guinea. Some people say they are ugly creatures because their noses look like a pig\'s snout, or nose. But these strange noses are actually very useful. Their design makes it easier for the turtle to swim and to find food. Unlike all other freshwater turtles, pig-nosed turtles have flippers instead of feet, which mean they can swim like sea turtles.\ *3*  In 2011, the pig-nosed turtle was facing extinction. Between 1981 and 2011, its population dropped by over fifty percent. In Australia, the cause was loss of habitat due to farming, mining and fishing. Unluckily for the pig-nosed turtle, their eggs and meat were a common source of food for communities in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Another major problem was the illegal trading of these animals.\ *4*  But there is good news. Farming methods are changing in Australia. The Indonesian government and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) now protect the species. In recent years, thousands of pig-nosed turtles have been rescued from poachers. They may not be beautiful, but pig-nosed turtles are important animals and we must continue to stop their decline.