REPATRIATION of the GOLDEN COIN TURTLE (Cuora Trifasciata)

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REPATRIATION OF THE GOLDEN COIN TURTLE (Cuora trifasciata) P. M. Gibbons, DVM, MS, Dipl ABVP (Reptile & Amphibian) Turtle Conservancy Behler Chelonian Center, PO Box 1289, Ojai, CA 93024 USA ABSTRACT The golden coin turtle (Cuora trifasciata) is critically endangered and listed in CITES Appendix II with a zero quota on wild specimens for commercial purposes. Extirpated from most of its historic range, it now inhabits a very small region outside Hong Kong. Its greatest threat is overcollection to grind up the plastron for a so-called “medicinal” jelly. Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden with the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department are protecting the species from extinction by removing poacher’s traps and reporting them to the authorities. They have an active captive breeding program to produce offspring for future release and work to protect a release site. Current offspring are from just a few founders, so additional genetic stock would be valuable. The species is divided into Clades, and conservationists seek to preserve the genetics of localities. Most captive-bred offspring are female as a result of temperature-dependent sex determination and relatively warm incubation. Lineage of the turtles at Behler Chelonian Center (BCC) in California was proven to be from Hong Kong. Eggs at BCC were incubated at 26°C to produce a sex ratio of three males to two females as determined by endoscopy. CITES permits for export from the USA and import into Hong Kong were secured. Health evaluation included specific pathogen tests and general diagnostics. The turtles were housed separate from others from birth. Finally, the turtles were packaged and shipped from Los Angeles to Hong Kong in the first repatriation of chelonians from USA into a reintroduction program. 2013 Proceedings Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians 99 .

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