ENDANGERED TURTLE DIES; ONLY 3 LEFT IN THE WORLD

15, Apr 2019

Prelims level : Environment Mains level : GS-III Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management
No Set Found with this ID

Why in News?

  • The last known female Yangtze giant softshell turtle has died in China, potentially dooming the species to extinction.

Details:

  • The Wildlife Conservations Society (WCS) calls the Yangtze
  • giant softshell turtle the world’s most critically endangered turtle species, killed off due to hunting as well as habitat destruction.
  • Now, there are only three left in the world.
  • The Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus, swinhoei), also known as the Red River giant softshell turtle, Shanghai softshell turtle, is an extremely rare species of softshell turtle found in Vietnam and China
  • It is listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List. It may be the largest living freshwater turtle in the world.
Share Socially
Download PDF