Comments on: Hoan Kiem Turtle Discovery

By: Frankyboy5

Frankyboy5 — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:43:43 +0000

@PhotoExpert

They are trying to breed the two in China but it’s unsuccessful so far. However, this article is trying to say that leloii and the Yangtze River Turtle are not the same. This could explain why there is no success – the two turtles could be different species. However, another possibility is that the living turtles in China ARE the same species brought from Vietnam and that Swinhoei is long extinct. The unsuccessful breeding attempts can be explained by poor conditions and diet etc.

Until this DNA test is published, we won’t know for sure. In 2010 a group of Vietnamese researchers stated Leloii was a distinct species. The DNA testing done in 2010 was questioned by some since the samples weren’t given to GenBank as they promised to do so.

It is extremely odd they note the Dong Mo turtle is not the same… They’re both found in Vietnam, but the Dong Mo turtle has a more spotted face – it’s a male. Sometimes they can be the same species but isolation has caused considerable genetic drift.

Many people believe there are at least two giant turtles in Hoan Kiem, even though “foremost” researcher Ha Dinh Duc protests against this idea. Odd that someone would be against the idea of there being more than one turtle in the lake, given eyewitness accounts, it’s very likely. It is possible that they do not want their turtles to be given to China, and thus are telling people the species is distinct so that it remains in Vietnam. Ha has been at odds with officials who want the turtle to stay in the lake, while he wants it to be removed to prevent it from being harmed by other invasive turtle species in the lake.

Sad… It’s like there’s no hope for any of the turtles to breed, regardless if they’re distinct species or not…

By: gorilin

gorilin — Sun, 08 May 2011 16:37:58 +0000

Could be the creature in the latest Champ cell phone video.

By: Surroundx

Surroundx — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 04:47:59 +0000

They have tried for several years to get the two individuals in Chinese zoos to breed. But it is believed that visitors have been feeding them junk food, which isn’t very conducive to positive breeding results unfortunately.

By: PhotoExpert

PhotoExpert — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 03:46:13 +0000

Shouldn’t scientists try setting up a breeding program of some sorts? The article did say that there were two in China. So why not try to continue the species?

By: Surroundx

Surroundx — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 01:34:32 +0000

I believe that the individual in the lake was also believed to be a male before the DNA results confirmed it as a female. This means that it is the only known individual of its species (to be named Rafetus vietnamensis according to the article), and must therefore be considered as being listed as functionally extinct as the individuals in captivity are all Rafetus swinehoei. However, Wikipedia states that it already has a scientific name, Rafetus leloii (Gray, 1873), which must take precedence. More likely, a redescription will be written in light of the anaylsis of the only individuals DNA.

By: gavinf

gavinf — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:34:07 +0000

This is awesome. That is a large animal, in a populated center, to go ''unknown''/''mythical'' all these years. I don't know why, but this story has just made my day.

By: sausage1

sausage1 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:53:52 +0000

Critcally endangered soft-shelled turtle, eh?

I think the clue is in the name. I mean, how many Blunt Toothed Sharks, Bashful Bird-of-Paradise and Conspicuous Chameleons are still around?