July 22, 2020, 01:07 PM
Locals in Balasore district of eastern India have spotted a rare yellow turtle on July 19.
Here it is:
Close snap of the same. Mark the pink eyes, one indicative feature of albinism. pic.twitter.com/MfXrXVYbfH
— Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) July 20, 2020
Odisha: A yellow turtle was rescued by locals from Sujanpur village in Balasore district. It was later handed over to Forest Department officials. B Acharya, Wildlife Warden says, "This is a rare turtle, I have never seen one like this." (19.07.20) pic.twitter.com/MWxjLzabyc
— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2020
A rare yellow turtle was spotted in India pic.twitter.com/tdP0tt2gbi
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 21, 2020
Speaking to Asian News International (ANI), Wildlife Warden, Bhanoomitra Acharya, said that the turtle was a unique find.
He added, via ANI:
"The whole shell and the body of the rescued turtle is yellow. This is a rare turtle, I have never seen one like this."
Product of albinism
According to CNN, the turtle has now been released into the wild in Balasore.
Experts believe that the turtle is a product of albinism.
Albinism is a type of genetic disorder resulting in little or no production of pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes.
In animals, the disorder may result in white fur, feathers, scales and skin and pink eyes.
Facts about the turtle
The turtle has been identified as the Indian flapshell turtle, a freshwater species of turtle commonly found in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
It is an omnivore, with a diet consisting of frogs, snails and some aquatic vegetation.
Top image from Susanta Nanda IFS/Twitter.
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