Rafetus swinhoei (Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle) is the worlds largest fresh water turtle (can be one metre long and 100kg heavy), but it has the worlds smallest wild population, how many? One! The only wild one was recorded in Northern Vietnam, not sure how it is now. Vietnam has another male one, captive. China used to have many, but since 1972, wild population has gong forever. Beijing Zoo had one, died in 2005; Shanghai Zoo had one, died in 2006. Now, there are only two left in China, one is in Suzhou Zoo, over 100 years old; one is in Changsha zoo, over 80 years old. The one in Changsha Zoo is the only female one. Scientists have been working on them, they moved the female one to Suzhou to join the male one, they mated, however, the eggs never hatched...the bad news is the last pair of this species might be too old to have their own babies... :-( Scientists have not given up yet, lets keep our fingers crossed...(photos are not mine).
Posted on: Mon, 19 May 2014 13:18:06 +0000