Death of rare Yangtze giant softshell turtle leaves 3 remaining in the world

April 14, 2019

The only known female member of one of the world’s rarest and most endangered turtle species has died in a Chinese zoo, authorities at the zoo in the East Chinese city of Suzhou confirmed on Sunday.

The Suzhou zoo also houses a male Yangtze giant softshell turtle. The other two live in Vietnam, but their genders are unknown.

China’s state-run People’s Daily newspaper said the deceased turtle was over 90 years old. She had been inseminated five times since 2008, with the last operation taking place shortly before her death.

Although the last insemination went smoothly, and the turtle appeared to be in fine health after the procedure, her condition deteriorated the following day.

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Northern white rhino

This white rhino subspecies made headlines last year following the death of Sudan, the last known male of his kind, making the species functionally extinct. Some scientists are cautiously optimistic that it could be brought back with the help of IVF technology, while others say time has simply run out for the subspecies, meaning it won’t be long before it disappears.

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South China tiger

The South China tiger is the most critically endangered of all tiger subspecies. No individual has been sighted in the wild since 1970, while the global captive population is likely to number less than 80. Some researchers have already declared the subspecies functionally extinct, but organizations such as Save China’s Tigers (SCT) are persisting with their conservation efforts.

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Amur leopard

Fewer than 80 Amur leopards are believed to live in the wild, making it one of the rarest cats on the planet. Native to the forests of Southern China, Northern Russia and the Korean Peninsula, the amur leopard is threatened by poaching and deforestation. But there’s still some hope — the leopard has found an unlikely refuge in the Korean Demilitarized Zone, which has become a haven for wildlife.

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Also known as the gulf porpoise, the vaquita is the rarest marine animal in the world, with less than 15 thought to exist as of March 2018. The porpoise has never been hunted directly but it often becomes entangled in illegal gillnets intended to capture the totoaba, another critically endangered fish found in the Gulf of California. Efforts to stop illegal fishing in the area have largely failed.

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Author: Ineke Mules

Efforts to protect the species

Media reports say that the turtle’s death means that the city authorities’ 13-year plan to artificially breed and save Yangtze turtles has failed.

Suzhou authorities say vets at the zoo are investigating the cause of the turtle’s death.

The female Yangtze turtle was moved to Suzhou from the Changsha Ecological Zoo in 2008, to be paired with the male turtle there, which is now over 100 years old.

Yangtze giant softshell turtles, which originated in China, are believed to be the most endangered turtle species in the world. They weigh an average 115 kilograms (253 pounds).

Experts say that overfishing, habitat loss and other human activities are to blame for the decline in their population over the decades.

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Mata mata turtle

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It is from these beautiful ocean-dwellers that tortoiseshell derives its name, and as a result of the coveted material’s decorative popularity the species has suffered a decline of more than 80 percent in the past century. Although international trade of hawksbill shells is now illegal, it continues on the black market. They are listed as critically endangered.

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Malayan softshell turtle

Alternatively named the forest softshell turtle, this long-necked animal is found in the fast-flowing streams and quiet muddy backwaters of several Southeast Asian countries. Their shells might be soft, but their jaws are powerful enough to crunch the snails and molluscs that are their prefered food. They use their snout for breathing.

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African helmeted turtle

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Alligator snapping turtle

At home in the lakes and rivers of the southeastern US, these prehistoric-looking creatures can theoretically live for 100 years. They are currently listed by the IUCN as “vulnerable” due to habitat disruption and capture for meat. They feed by luring prey into their open jaws with a worm-like appendage on their tongues. The strategy clearly works, as males can easily weigh 68 kilos (150 pounds).

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Leatherback sea turtle

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Pig-nosed turtle

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Author: Tamsin Walker