When an Oklaoosa County man discovered a diamondback terrapin turtle caught in a crab trap in the wake of Hurricane Nate, he found himself going to unusual lengths to save the creature.

"I knew if it didn’t do anything it would have died," Troy Russo told the Northwest Florida Daily News. So Russo resorted to a life-saving technique known to work on the human species: CPR.

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"He was trying to get air," Russo said. "His neck was extended. His eyes were still open. There was no movement. I was like, 'Oh my gosh.' "

Russo untangled the the turtle from the trap, then saw it move slightly. So he began CPR.

That turned out to be easier said than done, considering the turtle's shell and unhuman-like body. Instead of massaging the area around the heart, he pumped the turtle's legs in and out of its shell, which caused water to come out of its nose.

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"I just put my mouth over his beak and tried to push some air in," Russo said. "I did that five or six times, alternating with the pushing in legs to try to expel water."

After about a half hour, the turtle was revived and relased back into the marsh near Russo's home. He later explained why he went to such lengths: "I’ve just always liked turtles. I just like them as creatures."

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