Meet the ‘Punk of the Turtle World’ and Read Its Strange Story

Photographer Chris van Wyk garnered viral success with his pictures of an algae-covered “punk” Mary River turtle. The media attention he purposefully generated affected decisions related to preserving the habitat of this unique species.

The now iconic Mary River turtle is just one of the many species endemic to the Mary River flowing in Queensland, Australia. This exceptional animal breathes underwater using specialized glands in its reproductive organs, allowing it to remain submerged for up to 72 hours – an unusual feature in a reptile, which earned it the name “bum-breather”. In 2009, the Queensland government made plans to dam the river at the Traveston Crossing, effectively dividing the natural range of the Mary River turtle and destroying much of its prime breeding habitat.