Rafetus swinhoei
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| Rafetus swinhoei (Gray, 1873) |
Rafetus swinhoei, commonly known as the Shanghai soft-shell turtle, Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle (Chinese: 斑鱉; Pinyin:Bān Bīe), or Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle, is a species of soft-shell turtle. It may be the largest fresh water turtle in the world. It is listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List 2006, and is one of the rarest turtles in the world. There are only two known to survive in China: an 80-year-old female in Changsha Zoo and a 100-year-old male in Suzhou Zoo. In Vietnam, a single large individual lives in Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of Hanoi. In 2007, scientists conducting surveys west of Hanoi discovered the world's only living example of Rafetus swinhoei in the wild.
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[edit] Distribution
Rafetus swinhoei have been known to inhabit the Yangtze River and Lake Taihu, situated on the border of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, in eastern China; Gejiu in Yunnan province in southern China; and the Red River in the north of Vietnam. In recent years a single specimen of Rafetus swinhoei was caught by fishermen in Hoa Binh Province on the Song Da tributary of the Red River.[1] The last known specimen caught in the wild in China was in 1972 at Gejiu; that turtle was then transferred to the Shanghai Zoo. [2] A turtle in Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of Hanoi, Vietnam, has been sighted and caught on film in recent years.[3]
Some local scientists claim that the specimen in Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam, is a separate species named Rafetus leloii, or Hoan Kiem Turtle.
There are only two known living specimens; one each at China's Suzhou and Changsha Zoos. A third living specimen is at Hoan Kiem Lake;[4] a specimen at the Beijing Zoo died in 2005.[5] One of these turtles was recently discovered in a north Vietnam lake, according to scientists. This specimen is said to still be in the lake.[6]
[edit] Description
Rafetus swinhoei are noted for their deep head with pig-like snout and eyes dorsally placed. They measure over 100 cm in length and 70 cm in width and weigh approximately of 120-140 kg. Their carapace, or shell can grow larger than 50 cm in length and width. Their heads can measure over 20 cm in length and 10 cm in width. Males are generally smaller than females and have longer, larger tails.[4]
[edit] Reproduction
Individuals lay from 60 to more than 100 eggs. They nest at night and during the morning.[4]
[edit] Diet
Includes fish, crabs, snails, water hyacinth, frogs, and leaves.
[edit] Key threats
Rafetus swinhoei is on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss, hunting for subsistence and local consumption, and the use of the carapace and bones in medicine. Skulls are often kept as trophies.[4]
[edit] Conservation efforts
Conservation efforts are concentrated on breeding captive turtles in China and searching for live specimens in the wild. Recently an agreement was made to transfer the female specimen located at the Changsha Zoo to the Suzhou Zoo to breed with the male specimen there. Also efforts are being made to improve conditions for breeding at both the Suzhou Zoo and Western Temple in Suzhou.
[edit] The legend of Kim Qui
The specimen located in Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi is thought to be the legendary Kim Qui, or Golden Turtle God, who has appeared at opportune moments throughout Vietnamese history. The golden turtle first appeared during the reign of King An Duong Vuong (257-207 BC) and assisted the king in the construction of defenses for the ancient capital of Co Loa. When Co Loa was attacked Kim Qui assisted the king in making a magical cross-bow that rained arrows upon the invaders. When the King’s daughter conspired against her father Kim Qui emerged again to inform An Duong Vuong of the betrayal; the king consequentially killed his daughter and drowned himself in the lake.[7]
In the 15th century, a general named Lê Lợi obtained a magical sword that a fisherman had pulled out of the lake. Lê Lợi used this sword to lead a rebellion against the Chinese armies that were in occupation of Vietnam. After establishing Vietnam's independence the now King Lê Lợi returned to the lake and Kim Qui caught the sword in his teeth and submerged. Lê Lợi then named the lake 'Lake of Restored Sword', or Hoan Kiem.[7]
In 1999, 2000, and 2005 turtles have reemerged from Hoan Kiem Lake on special occasions, when it was seen by a large audience and caught on film. It is believed that there is only a single turtle left in the lake.[7]
[edit] Further reading
- Farkas, B and Webb, R.G. 2003. Rafetus leloii Hà Dinh Dúc, 2000—an invalid species of softshell turtle from Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam (Reptilia, Testudines, Trionychidae). Zool. Abhandl. (Dresden), 53:107-112.
- Meylan, P.A. Rafetus swinhoei. in Pritchard, P.C.H., and A. Rhodin eds., The conservation biology of freshwater turtles. IUCN publications.
- Meylan, P. A. and R. G. Webb. 1988. Rafetus swinhoei (Gray) 1873, a valid species of living soft-shelled turtle (family Trionychidae) from China. Journal of Herpetology. 22:118-119.
[edit] References
- ^ In Search of Rafetus swinhoei. Turtle Conservation Vietnam. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
- ^ 斑鳖保护合作交流研讨会会议纪要. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (2006). Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
- ^ "Giant turtle sightings set Vietnam capital abuzz", CNN, 1998-4-13. Retrieved on 2007-07-17.
- ^ a b c d Species: Rafetus swinhoei. Asian Turtle Conservation Network, and a forth large turtle was discovered in 2007 living in the wild in a lake west of Hanoi.. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
- ^ Draft Action Plan- Rafetus swinhoei. Turtle Survival Alliance. Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
- ^ Vietnam expert skeptical about turtle tale. Thanh Nien Daily (2008-04-20). Retrieved on 2008-04-28.
- ^ a b c Hoan Kiem Lake Turtle: from myth to reality. VietNamNet Bridge (2005). Retrieved on 2006-12-09.
- Asian Turtle Trade Working Group (2000). Rafetus swinhoei. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 1 Marts 2008. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is critically endangered and the criteria used.
