The Yangtze giant softshell turtle is an extremely rare turtle native to the East and South regions of China. These turtles are omnivores eating crabs, snails, frogs, and leaves. Reaching up to 220 lbs. on average, the Yangtze giant softshell turtle is also considered the largest freshwater turtle in the world. These turtles can live up to 100 years old, but sadly, habitat loss has destroyed the population. By 2005, less than 10 turtles were confirmed to be alive.
Zoos and scientists around the world began attempting to breed captive turtles to rebuild the population. Each breeding pair can lay around 80 eggs. However, these attempts to breed the turtles were unsuccessful. After the death of the female turtle in 2019, only 3 turtles of the species had been determined to exist. Fortunately, there is hope for this elusive species. In October of 2020, a wild female turtle was discovered living in Vietnam, making the population of this species 4. Breeding efforts by scientists in China and Vietnam could lead to the rebuild of the species. Scientists are actually optimistic that these turtles have stayed undiscovered in the wild.
The giant softshell turtles tend to be shy creatures that are attracted to the deep murky depths of the rivers and lakes that it inhabits. They rarely come up to the surface, and when they do, the surfacing is brief and only used to get oxygen. While unsubstantiated accounts of wild turtles have been made, more turtles have been yet to be discovered. Although these turtles are near to extinction, hope should not be lost.
This shows that we all should have hope in the Nature around us and the science that has improved every day.
This article made me realize that the disappearance of these turtles are most likely due to human activity and it is affecting the nature around us. Hopefully scientists are succesful in bringing the population back.
I always find animals to be fascinating. A turtle weighing almost twice as me is an interesting idea to imagine. It is so unfortunate that this rare Yangtze giant softshell turtle is getting to be so rare. Less than 10 turtles of the species confirmed alive in 2005 is shameful, especially when each breeding pair can lay around 80 eggs. I hope that efforts to rebuild the population are successful and that the damage done by humans does not reach the point of being irreversible.
Very informative article. It’s heartbreaking to hear about the decline of this species, but I’m glad to know that there is hope. I hope the scientists are successful in increasing the population.
I love turtles and the fact this kind is going extinct make me extremely upset. I really hope scientists can find a way to make their population sky rocket or at least go up.
It’s sad to see that the progress of the human species is at the expense of other species. The fact that these turtles can live up to 100 years is impressive and emphasizing the negative impact that industrialization and progress has had on nature. Hopefully, the remaining turtles are not the only ones left in the world and there are still many in hiding and undiscovered.
It’s shameful to hear that humans are, once again, the main cause of this population decline of another species, especially one as unique as the Yangtze giant softshell turtle. I think that people should definitely pay more attention to the effects their actions have on biodiversity. For the time being, we can only hope that there are still many more undiscovered turtles out there and that scientists can successfully breed enought turtles to eventually release in the wild.
It is very disappointing to see a species almost extinct because of humans. I hope to see that this species of turtle can recover from this.
中国占地面积很大，从南到北，覆盖到了很多不同的生态地区。当然也有很多稀有的野生动物，包括文中提到的乌龟。但不幸的是很多动物都面临着灭绝的命运，希望能有更多的机构来拯救它们。
It’s sad to see how so many animals have been forced to the brink of extinction because of human actions. The size and lifetime of these turtles are extremely impressive. Hopefully, scientists receive more successful results of breeding the Yangtze turtle in the future. Thanks for sharing this information!
This article has opened my eyes to the extinction many animals are being forced towards and I think that it’s terrible. But it looks pretty hopeful as if the turtles mate, they can make up to 80 eggs, which can mate with each other and bring back the species from near extinction.
I think it’s really nice how you combined Chinese culture with environmental issues, but it’s sad how not even ten turtles were alive in 2005. I hope Vietnamese and Chinese scientists sufficiently rebuild the population, and I didn’t even know the softshell turtle existed. Thanks for your article, great job!
This article was really eye-opening about how we should care for animals and protect them. For a species that has such a long life-span to have a single-digit population rate is just absurd and upsetting. Thank you for the article.
This was a very interesting article. I never knew that this species of turtles existed. I was very sad to read that they are extremely endangered. A population of 3 or 4 is very worrying. However, I was glad towards the end that there is light at the end of the tunnel for these turtles.
It was heartbreaking to learn that the many deaths of the Yangtze Soft Turtle were caused by human activities. Although this species is at the brink of extinction, we should definitely stay positive and hope for the best.
I’m very hopeful that the species of Yangtze Soft Turtles will rebuild. It’s unbearable that human activity probably caused their population to decline to the brink of extinction. But I’m glad that a wild female turtle was discovered and that scientists are breeding them trying to rebuild the population. Great article! Keep up the good work.
When I was younger I really loved animas, so it is heartbreaking to see a decline in this species of turtle. I did however, enjoy learning more about them. I learned that they are omnivores: mainly eating crabs, snails, frogs, and leaves. I would have enjoyed a picture though, I wonder what they look like? Hopefully we could bring the population back to where it was and Yangtze turtle recover.
It is very sad to read that these turtles are disappearing due to humanity. We have already caused hundreds of species to go extinct due to our pollution and killing and it is a real issue. Having that small of a population for a species is very worrying to read about. I hope to see that this species of turtle can recover from this.
I love animals and I hate to see that humans are responsible for the near-extinction of this species. Hopefully this species will be able to recover from this because they truly seem like such beautiful and peaceful animals. I’m not sure why their species has this sort of outcome but I know that China’s endangered species market is still working underground so hopefully, the government will be able to regulate that more.
This makes me so sad to see that turtles are disappearing, especially because of humans. Many other species also are extinct because of us and it makes me sad too. I hope the population can recover.
I would call this the “Lonesome George of China.”
Speaking of recovering the population, I was thinking if we can obtain DNA, stem, egg, and sperm cells from the last remaining individuals and store them frozen in San Diego or some other institution?
We can clone and reproduce this species by using a surrogate species called the Cantor’s giant softshell turtle, which is native to Malaysia. I’ve heard that a similar technique is being used for the critically endangered northern white rhinoceros. I hope this can also work for species like the Baiji dolphin, thylacine, dodo, and woolly mammoth.
Here is what the Cantors giant softshell turtle looks like:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Pelochelys_cantorii.jpg
Oh, I almost forgot:
Speaking of cloning, one endangered species native to the US was successfully cloned this year, and that is a black-footed ferret! Her name is elizabeth Ann.
Here she is:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Elizabeth_Ann_54_days_old.jpg
It’s heartbreaking to see how human advancement has come at the cost of other animals. The fact that these turtles can live for up to 100 years is remarkable, highlighting the detrimental effects of industrialization and development on nature. Hopefully, the surviving turtles are not the only ones left in the world, and there are more hiding and undiscovered.