The animal world is full of surprises, with some creatures being more eye-catching than others because of their strange looks or unusual nature.
When I first saw a picture of this weird “penis snake,” I thought it was a joke. But, to my surprise, it turned out to be a real animal. So, let’s dive into the story behind the viral image that has left thousands of people in shock.
Throughout history, anything shaped like a phallus has grabbed attention and sparked curiosity. A few years ago, images of a strange-looking creature started making the rounds online, leaving many people scratching their heads in disbelief.
With its unique appearance, this mysterious animal quickly earned nicknames like the “penis snake,” “blind snake,” or the “man-aconda.”
But no, it’s not what you think.
Even though it looks a lot like a snake, this creature is actually called *Atretochoana eiselti*. It’s not a snake at all, but an amphibian, more closely related to a salamander. It’s also the largest known lungless tetrapod, which means it breathes through its skin instead of lungs.
This rare animal lives in the waters of the Amazon in Brazil and was hard to find for a long time. It was first discovered by Sir Graham Hales during an expedition with Sir Brian Doll in the late 1800s.
However, it wasn’t officially described until 1968. After more research, scientists reclassified it in 1996, giving it its own unique genus, *Atretochoana*.
In 2011, this species was rediscovered in the Amazon region. It lives only in the Amazon River and its largest tributary, the Madeira River in Brazil. The “penis snake” has only been found in this area and nowhere else in the world.
The viral pictures that blew up the internet a few years ago actually came from 2011. That’s when a whole family of these phallic-shaped creatures was found at the bottom of the Madeira River in Brazil. They were discovered when the river was drained during work on a hydroelectric dam.
Julian Tupan, a biologist working with the Santo Antonio Energy company on the dam, explained that not much is known about these lungless, limbless amphibians.
“Out of the six we collected, one died, three were released back into the wild, and two were kept for study,” he told *Estadao*, according to the U.K.’s *The Sun*.
Tupan pointed out that these “snakes” aren’t dangerous and are unlikely to show any aggressive behavior.
“Even though they look like snakes, they’re not reptiles; they’re more closely related to salamanders and frogs. We think the animal breathes through its skin and probably eats small fish and worms, but that hasn’t been proven yet.
“The Amazon is full of surprises when it comes to reptiles and amphibians. There’s still a lot more to discover.”
According to a paper published in the Brazilian scientific journal *Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi: Ciências Naturais*, one of these creatures found in the riverbed was photographed extensively. Some of the animals were released back into the Madeira River, while others were sent to the Emilio Goeldi Paraense Museum in Belem, Brazil.
The most popular photo, which Julian Tupan shared on Instagram, shows an adult female *A. eiselti* that’s just under 40 inches long.
Even though these creatures are fascinating, there’s still a lot we don’t know about them. One mystery that puzzles researchers is their diet. Scientists think these phallic-shaped animals might eat small fish, worms, and other aquatic invertebrates, but more research is needed to confirm this.
Another mystery about these creatures is how they breathe, as scientists haven’t confirmed the method yet. When the six specimens were discovered in 2011, it made things even more puzzling. What’s especially interesting is where they were found— in cold, fast-flowing water with limited oxygen. Since warmer water holds less oxygen, their ability to live without lungs is even more remarkable.
Based on these findings, scientists believe this species might be widespread across the Brazilian Amazon and could even extend into Bolivia.
Nature constantly surprises us with its endless wonders. From the deepest oceans to the tallest mountains, the natural world is full of amazing things waiting to be discovered.
Share this incredible story on Facebook with your friends and family to spark their curiosity and get them talking about the wonders of nature!
Elliot Page’s Journey Into Finding His New Life in a Male Body
Actress Ellen Page made a remarkable change on her social media profiles on December 1, 2020, revealing a new male identity as Elliot. This unexpected transformation quickly gained widespread attention as Elliot’s posts began circulating online. Netflix promptly responded by updating the credits of their movies and series to acknowledge this change. On Twitter, an outpouring of support was evident, with a post expressing immense pride and love for the newly emerged Elliot.
Life in the body of a woman
Achieving success in the film industry while presenting as a female, Paige made a remarkable entrance into the world of acting at the tender age of 10. Her inaugural role as Maggie MacLean in Pit Pony proved to be an instant triumph, garnering her a nomination for the esteemed Young Artist Award and paving the way for numerous exciting career prospects. By the time Ellen reached 18, she had already amassed an impressive repertoire of over a dozen roles in diverse movies and television shows, a testament to her exceptional talent and unwavering commitment to her craft.
Page’s career reached a significant milestone with their prominent portrayal in the film Juno. Esteemed film critics showered Page with praise, recognizing their “astonishing talent,” while the movie itself was hailed as one of the standout films of the 2000s. At the young age of 20, Page made history as the fourth youngest nominee for the prestigious Academy Award for Best Actress, a truly remarkable accomplishment.
The start of a new life
Despite outwardly achieving success, Page grappled with a sense of incompleteness. From a young age, they carried a profound awareness of being different. Even in childhood, Page felt a stronger identification with being a boy, going as far as signing their name as Jason and expressing to their mother the desire to grow up as a man. Despite the passage of time, the persistent question of identity and the ongoing struggle for self-acceptance regarding their gender remained steadfast.
Just prior to reaching the age of 27, Page chose to share a personal revelation with the public. Initially, he openly acknowledged his attraction to women and subsequently disclosed that he had discovered his ideal partner in dancer and choreographer Emma Portner, whom he married in 2018. The trajectory of their relationship has been unconventional, as Portner had previously been married to a woman and divorced a man. However, the couple ultimately separated in 2020, with their divorce being finalized in early 2021.
Life in the body of a man
With unwavering courage, Elliot Page took to his social media platforms on December 1, 2020, to reveal his authentic identity as a man. Embracing the pronouns he/they and adopting the name Elliot, he fearlessly shared this significant decision with the world. The response was overwhelmingly supportive, with fellow celebrities and individuals alike recognizing him as a beacon of inspiration for transgender and non-binary communities. Even his spouse publicly expressed deep admiration, acknowledging the invaluable presence of trans, queer, and non-binary individuals as a precious gift to the world.
In another groundbreaking milestone, Elliot Page achieved a historic feat by becoming the first transgender man to be featured on the cover of Time magazine. For this momentous occasion, he made a deliberate choice to collaborate with a photographer who could genuinely grasp his unique experience and authentically capture his essence as a transgender man.
During an interview with Time, Elliot openly and sincerely shared details of his personal journey, including his gender-affirming surgery, which he described as not only transforming his life but also serving as a lifesaving intervention. Finally able to embrace his true identity as a man, Elliot expressed that he has always been the person he is today, deeply rooted within himself throughout his entire existence.
Elliot expresses his genuine excitement about being able to act as his authentic self in his own body, remarking, “No matter the challenges and difficult moments of this, nothing amounts to getting to feel how I feel now.” Finally living in harmony with his true self and appearance, Elliot’s life is now enriched with moments of pure joy that were once absent. Simple, everyday things like coming out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist now bring him happiness. Looking in the mirror, he can confidently say, “There I am,” as he revels in the newfound joy of being true to himself.
Undergoing the surgical transformation had a profound impact on Elliot, not only in terms of his physical appearance but also in igniting a newfound wave of creativity within him. Ever since coming out to his loved ones, he has been infused with a powerful sense of inspiration, leading him to embark on various creative endeavors.
This includes writing a film script, exploring his passion for music, and actively working on a memoir that aims to empower and uplift numerous individuals. While engaged in his work on set, Elliot has found that, apart from feeling at ease in his male body, there have been no significant changes to his professional experience.
Why Page talks about it so much
Elliot is often credited with inspiring numerous transgender individuals to embrace their true selves, but the actor holds a different perspective. Despite the overwhelming support received upon coming out, Page sees himself as an activist fighting for the rights of transgender people. He aims to raise public awareness about crucial issues using his platform and privilege. As he expressed, “My privilege has allowed me to have resources to get through and to be where I am today and, of course, I want to use that privilege and platform to help in the ways I can.”
In an interview, Elliot was posed with a thought-provoking question about what message he would convey to his younger self if granted the chance to travel back in time. After careful consideration, the actor responded with profound introspection, expressing, “I would assure my younger self that I was precisely the person I perceived, felt, and understood myself to be.”
But Elliot page isn’t the only famous person to transition, since there have been many before him and will be many after him. And it’s inspiring to see them flourishing after going under such a transformation. And sometimes actors have transformed themselves simply for a role, where the result was jaw-dropping.
Preview photo credit Ninha Morandini / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, elliotpage / Instagram
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