Dr. Gerald Kuchling recently sent in this update from the Suzhou Zoo in China, where he has returned to spearhead another breeding attempt for the Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei):

A quick update from China: I and Guundie (note: Dr. Kuchling’s wife), Dr. Lu Shunqing (Wildlife Conservation Society) and Emily King (TSA) all arrived in Suzhou on 18 April. The female Rafetus became active for the first time this year also on 18 April 2010, the day we all arrived in Suzhou. The male had showed some activity since 19 March.

One of the biggest undertakings the TSA is facing in the coming weeks is one that we couldn't have planned for - a major confiscation of smuggled turtles and tortoises in Hong Kong. Our friends at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) in Hong Kong contacted us in February seeking our assistance. The government had seized approximately 1,300 turtles, including over 150 endangered Asian Temple Turtles (Heosemys/Hieremys annandalii) and almost 200 critically endangered Madagascan Radiated Tortoises (Astrochelys radiata), and did not have the resources to house or care for the animals.

The epic move of the last Chinese female Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) from Changsha Zoo to the last Chinese male at the Suzhou Zoo in 2008 resulted in successful mating, producing two clutches totalling over one hundred eggs. Despite this success, unfortunately none of the eggs hatched. About half the eggs of the second clutch were not properly shelled and many cracked during laying. Nutritional deficencies of the long-term captive female – over 70 years in captivity - were most likely to blame for this setback, and apparently caused any fertilized eggs to die early during development.   Despite this disappointment, this event captured the attention of the global conservation community, and the remarkable story was featured in a PBS/Nature special called The Loneliest Animals that aired on April 19, 2009. Click here to view.