Turtles which breath through their bottoms

  • Fitzroy River Turtles don
Fitzroy River Turtles don't need to emerge to breath
The Science of Stuff

Yes! Amazingly, some species of turtle can actually breath through their bottoms! The Australian "White throated turtle" and the "Fitzroy river turtle" can take up to 70% of their oxygen intake via an opening at their rear ends called a cloaca. This highly elastic opening is where urine, faeces and eggs are released, and blood vessels in the cloaca are able to obtain oxygen from water for use in the bloodstream. They can even breath simultaneously via their two ends!