Rare Turtle Seen in Wild for the First Time

From the Wildlife Conservation Society:

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The WCS team discovered five of the critically endangered turtles in a wildlife sanctuary in Myanmar (Burma) in Southeast Asia.  The sanctuary, originally established to protect elephants, contains thick stands of impenetrable bamboo forests and is rarely visited by people according to the report.

(Images WCS)

The report documenting the turtles’ discovery was prepared by Dr. Steven Platt of Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas and Khin Myo Myo of WCS.

The adult turtles measure less than a foot in length; its shell is light brown with some black mottling.  The species was believed extinct until 1994, when conservationists found a few specimens in a food market in China.  Before then, the last know record of the species was of a single animal collected by a British Army officer in 1908.  Many Asian turtle species have been driven to near extinction due to their demand as food.

The WCS team also found yellow tortoises and Asian leaf turtles in the sanctuary – two other species threatened by the illegal wildlife trade.

“Throughout Asia, turtles are being wiped out by poachers for the illegal wildlife trade,” said Colin Poole, WCS Director of Asia programs.  “We are delighted and astonished that this extremely rare species is alive and well in Myanmar.  Now we must do what we can to protect the remaining population.”

The report recommends several steps to ensure that the turtles remain protected in the sanctuary.  These include training of local protected area staff, conservation groups and graduate students to collect additional data on the species, and establishing permanent guard posts on roads leading in and out of the park to thwart potential poaching.

The research was supported by Andy Sabin and the Turtle Conservation Fund. 

                 The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide.  We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo.  Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony.  WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. Visit: www.wcs.org

Cool Turtle Fact

• The local name for the Arakan forest turtle is “Pyant Cheezar,” which translates to “turtle that eats rhinoceros feces.”  Sumatran rhinos were once found in the area, but vanished half a century ago due to overhunting.