A preliminary assessment of chelonian diversity in the montane forests of two areas in northern Vietnam

AUTHORS PHAM VAN THONG; OLIVIER LE DUC; BENJAMIN LEPRINCE; CEDRIC BORDES; CHARLOTTE DUCOTTERD; LUU QUANG VINH; SENG RAVOR; TRAN QUANG BAO; LUCA LUISELLI
Abstract - Very little is known of the ecology; distribution of Vietnamese tortoises; freshwater turtles; even though Vietnam is one of the world’s hotspots of chelonian diversity and; according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN); almost all its species are threatened. We report the diversity of chelonians for two distinct areas of northern Vietnam (in three provinces) characterised by forested hills; mountains; with ponds; streams. We observed ten species in Lang Son/Bac Giang provinces; 11 species in Lao Cai province. Reportedly; the two most frequently recorded species were <i>Pelodiscus sinensis</i>; <i>Cuora mouhotii</i>. Most species were Endangered or Critically Endangered according to IUCN; thus making the protection of the forest habitats of these provinces of crucial relevance for the survival of these species. Reliable records for the almost extinct <i>Rafetus swinhoei</i> were collected; but all of them refer to the end of the 1970s.

The Herpetological Bulletin is a quarterly publication in English. It includes full-length papers, natural history notes, book reviews, and other items of general herpetological interest. Emphasis is placed on natural history and conservation as well as captive care that includes breeding, husbandry, veterinary, and behavioural aspects.

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AUTHORS: PHAM VAN THONG, OLIVIER LE DUC, BENJAMIN LEPRINCE, CEDRIC BORDES, CHARLOTTE DUCOTTERD, LUU QUANG VINH, SENG RAVOR, TRAN QUANG BAO & LUCA LUISELLI

Abstract - Very little is known of the ecology and distribution of Vietnamese tortoises and freshwater turtles, even though Vietnam is one of the world’s hotspots of chelonian diversity and, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), almost all its species are threatened. We report the diversity of chelonians for two distinct areas of northern Vietnam (in three provinces) characterised by forested hills and mountains, with ponds and streams. We observed ten species in Lang Son/Bac Giang provinces and 11 species in Lao Cai province. Reportedly, the two most frequently recorded species were Pelodiscus sinensis and Cuora mouhotii. Most species were Endangered or Critically Endangered according to IUCN, thus making the protection of the forest habitats of these provinces of crucial relevance for the survival of these species. Reliable records for the almost extinct Rafetus swinhoei were collected, but all of them refer to the end of the 1970s.