Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle news

Hmm... I am stubborn, but I would agree with letting the offspring if the two could be a pair, breed with other gene pools

 

Well what a relief that is.

 

I know

 

So the new turtle is a blood brother of Cu Rua...

 

What is Cu Rua?

 

I get your drift and frustration, but a little historical reality check might be in order for you here (not least of all given the precarious nature of US - Vietnam relations and environmental and other destruction rained down onto Vietnam by US military forces). It is hardly the time nor place here to be the sanctimonous one in Indochina.

Unfortunately, politics quite frequently and rather frequently interfere in making sound conservation action possible to be taken (to put it on home stretch territory for you: some frustrating examples are current US administration general environmental policies, the Mexico - US border wall and its environmental impact, the bureacratic framework of instigating species conservation plans through the USFWS ..., to be name but a very few).

For the independent observer though and getting back to the nitty gritty detail of the Rafetus swinhoei conservation story: Thank goodness that the TSA IS involved here and by having a well laid out network of organisations, individuals and experts on both sides may actually assist in getting some positive crossborder cooperation working (without both sides' having to loose face first).

With the current Suzhou Zoo breeding pair the TSA team have to follow AI reproduction techniques as the male's reproductive organs have been compromised (the female's are fine ...).

It is my sincere hope that now the Vietnam conservation authorities will finally try to capture both individuals under strict and expert assistance and advice of the TSEA / Kuchling team in order to try and bring them into the conservation breeding program and make an effective contribution to species conservation efforts and actually saving this amazing turtle species.

Anyone have any info on other Rafetus species breeding success in captivity?

 

Despite the tragic inaction on the Javan rhino, I have some hope. Vietnam does have a couple of really great conservation programs running out of Cuc Phuong N.P - Including the Turtle Conservation Centre who's sole aim is to re-home and breed confiscated critically endangered turtles. Seems like an obvious solution....

 

TBH: I would rather all Rafetus swinhoei would go there!

 

The one that died in 2016.

 

I think that wording, "blood brother", might just be a bad translation as I don't think this turtle has been captured to even test that. Even if it is, however, it's still a blood line that's unrepresented and since 'Cu Rua' is dead there isn't any real hit to the genetic diversity of the remaining population.

~Thylo

 

And the US is in the wrong here as well..

What happened to the male's reproductive organs? Also I thought the female couldn't produce fertile eggs (or the eggs had too soft of shells or something)?

~Thylo

 

I could be wrong, but that’s what some of the news said, but....
Blood brother of Hanoi's revered turtle god found on city outskirts - VnExpress International

 

China and Vietnam to Cooperate on Saving World's Rarest Turtle | Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA)

 

Where will it be located?

 

I don't think that's been worked out yet and will likely be the biggest challenge of this cooperation. I'd imagine both countries will want to hold onto their animals.

~Thylo

 

Thats what I feared....

 

Not sure about any location as yet, ... but to stay on the positives ... it is a major step forward that both nations now agree that a combined rescue mission is the only realistic way going forward.

 

I know this is kind of spontaneous, but this paragraph from the article is kind of why I was so against the cooperation in the beginning (trust issues) for those who are wondering. Also why I think that the breeding should be in Vietnam .