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Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle
species of reptile / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle, Hoan Kiem turtle or Red River giant soft-shell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is a turtle that lives in Asia. Very few of these turtles are alive today: Human beings know about only four. It is one of the most endangered animals in the world.[3]
Yangtze giant softshell turtle | |
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One of the two R. swinhoei of Dong Mo, Son Tay, Vietnam | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Testudines |
Suborder: | Cryptodira |
Family: | Trionychidae |
Genus: | Rafetus |
Species: | R. swinhoei |
Binomial name | |
Rafetus swinhoei (Gray, 1873) | |
Synonyms[2] | |
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What was the last known female Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle died in a Suzhou zoo in China in 2019.[4] Another female was found in Vietnam in October 2020. Scientists tested her DNA and then put her back in the lake.[5]
This leaves four turtles alive: One male turtle living in Suzhou Shangfangshan Forest Zoo, the female turtle in Dong Mo Lake in Vietnam, perhaps another one in Dong Mo Lake, and another one in Xuan Khanh Lake in Vietnam.[4] Scientists don't know whether the Xuan Khanh lake turtle is male or female. Scientist Tim McCormack thinks the two lake turtles became trapped when people built dams on their rivers. Scientists say there might be more in other lakes and rivers.[6] Some scientists have gone on boats to look for them.[7]