The Hairy Water Tortoise of China

I cannot figure out if this is a legitimate species, or a freak. This article seems to imply it was a common tortoise with vegetation affixed to its back.

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Paul - Sat Feb 21, 2015
Category: Animals | Freaks, Oddities, Quirks of Nature | Asia | Nineteenth Century

Comments

I've seen turtles along the Mississippi with some moss on their backs but none quite so covered as your drawing implies. I did find a photo of such a critter as you can see if you click here.

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 02/21/15 at 10:34 AM

Excellent find, Expat!

Posted by Paul on 02/21/15 at 10:45 AM

http://i.imgur.com/akeVeiq.jpg

Posted by Phideaux on 02/21/15 at 01:02 PM

I'm sure that if it were a species variation, they would have turned them all into 'traditional medicine' by now.

Posted by Victor Berthelsdorf on 02/21/15 at 02:56 PM

http://saralondesworld.blogspot.com/2012/07/198-366-hairy-turtle.html

Posted by Victor Berthelsdorf on 02/21/15 at 02:59 PM

Victor B: that is our guy, for sure!

Posted by Paul on 02/21/15 at 08:54 PM

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