Illegal Trade

Unfortunately, their newly discovered rarity isn’t the only thing that could pose a threat to the future of the mata mata turtles. According to Vargas-Ramirez, “Every year, thousands of these bizarre-looking animals end up in the illegal animal trade and are confiscated by the authorities. We must protect these fascinating animals before it is too late.” Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Stan Shebs | CC BY-SA 3.0