On the keeled box turtle (Cuora mouhotii) from reforested land in Vietnam

Abstract

The keeled box turtle (Cuora mouhotii Gray, 1862) is endangered and native to Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. First described in 1862 by Gray, its numbers have declined by 50-80% in the past 75 years, particularly in China due to harvesting. Other research has also shown that C. mouhotii is very rare in Myanmar and at risk in Laos. In Vietnam, C. mouhotii has been found in the mountainous areas from North Central to Central Vietnam such as Cuc Phuong National Park, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces, as well as in the Truong Son mountains as far as Quang Nam province in Central Vietnam. However, the population of C. mouhotii in Vietnam has also decreased significantly because of overexploitation and habitat destruction.