This has got to be the first time a reptile has been cyberbullied online.
A seemingly innocuous tweet wishing a pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta)a happy 28th birthday went viral when some Twitter users didn’t like the looks of the reptile. The turtle is named as such because the species has some very interesting nostrils.
DISGUSTING get rid of it said Twitter user ReviewerSpell. Another, @NickGrodo said Funzo was an anteater. The National Aquarium fired back, “What’s with all the hate?! Funzo doesn’t deserve this 😭. #JusticeForFunzo. Former Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith said “That is one of the top 5 ugliest animals I’ve ever seen.” The National Aquarium fired off a tweet directed @TorreySmithWR “They hate us cuz they ain’t us #JusticeForFunzo”
DISGUSTING
get rid of it https://t.co/uuRH9V5Zz4— Speview – fat free (@ReviewerSpell) January 5, 2022
Thats an anteater https://t.co/Sgl4XRTvb3
— NICK (@nickgrodo) January 5, 2022
Said Elizabeth Thompson
@lizzyquiltz
I must apologize for the very rude people who decided to use the opportunity of your birthday to bully you! I don’t understand what has happened to make the trolls in this country come out to hurt the feelings of the caretakers of this sweet guy!
Aww. What a cute little bugger. That nose is hilarious! Live long and prosper, little turtle! May you have a hundred more birthdays. Or 200, since you’re a turtle.
— Mirya (@Miryaelle) January 5, 2022
Said That’s Ms. Maximoff to you
@Chaos_and_0rder
I love Funzo and he is perfect in every way.
Said Mirya
@Miryaelle
Aww. What a cute little bugger. That nose is hilarious! Live long and prosper, little turtle! May you have a hundred more birthdays. Or 200, since you’re a turtle.
Now this has got to be the first time a reptile has been cyberbullied online, but Funzo didn’t read any of the tweets so he is all good and happy to have celebrated his 28th birthday with those who truly love animals.
The pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) is native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea. it is of the family Carettochelyidae and is the only living member of that family. It is a unique freshwater turtle in that it has flippers like marine turtles, a nose that looks like a pig’s nose, and a leathery carapace that is gray or olive in coloration. The plastron is cream colored. They can grow to 28 to 30 inches in carapace length and weight more than 44 lbs. Totally aquatic, the pig-nosed turtle feeds on both plant and animal matter. and reach maturity at about 18 years for females and 16 years for males. They are found in freshwater streams, lagoons and rivers in Australia’s Northern Territory as well as in New Guinea.
