For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the U.K.
As a warm-blooded species we find cold weather uncomfortable, so imagine what it's like for wild animals with little or no shelter. Even cold-blooded species like the Red-eared Terrapins tend to hide away from the worst of the weather.
Red-eared Terrapins were brought over here from United States for the pet trade. Remember the Mutant Ninja Turtle craze? When their owners found out how big they got, and how difficult they were to keep, many of those pet terrapins were let loose in ponds and lakes up and down the U.K.
They manage to survive our cold winters by sleeping at the bottom of ponds, and taking in oxygen by passing water over special membranes in the throat. It's thought that special sacs in the cloaca (rectal area) can also absorb oxygen!
It's incredible to think that while some humans are able to talk through their backsides these reptiles have actually evolved a method of breathing through them. Which begs the question, if a vet needed to resuscitate a pet terrapin with breathing difficulties... which end should get the kiss of life?
Related Pages
