Chinese three-striped box turtle  (Cuora trifasciata)

Turtles and tortoises across Southeast Asia have undergone massive declines in recent years due to overexploitation for the Southern Asian, particularly Chinese, food markets (9). Although having been hunted by local people for subsistence for centuries, recent changes in Asian economics have opened up direct access to foreign markets, in which turtles and tortoises are favoured for their meat and perceived medicinal value (10). The Chinese three-striped box turtle has suffered particularly badly because of recent claims that its plastron contains medicinal properties that can cure cancer, which has driven up the demand and therefore price, bringing this species to the edge of extinction (2). Additionally, this rare turtle is highly sought after by the pet trade, with adults fetching up to US$3,000 each (6) (9). Such a high market value inevitably leads to over-collection from the wild. Indeed, some Chinese can attain enough money to build a house from the sale of a single adult Chinese three-striped box turtle, an extremely powerful incentive (6).

In 2001, a programme on the conservation of wild fauna and flora and the establishment of nature reserves was begun in China. Many new nature reserves have been created, some of which offer habitat for tortoises and freshwater turtles (11). This species is protected by law in Hong Kong under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance Cap. 170., under which collection of any wild turtles is prohibited unless under a special permit obtained from the Agricultural, Fisheries, and Conservation Department (7). Individuals employed by the Agricultural, Fisheries, and Conservation Department of Hong Kong also patrol protected territories to curb illegal hunting of native tortoises and freshwater turtles (11). Various captive breeding programmes for this species exist around the world (12), but this Department is also implementing a captive breeding project with a local conservation organisation that includes plans for subsequent reintroductions into the wild (11).

It has been advocated that the claimed medicinal properties of these turtles should be properly examined. Should results prove positive then industrial synthesis of the active compounds, alternative herbal medicine and turtle farming should be explored to reduce harvesting of the animal from the wild. If such claims are shown to be unfounded, the species could surely benefit from a publicity campaign to disseminate accurate information to the general public (13). In the meantime, the establishment of secure, protected populations in nature reserves and properly managed captive breeding programmes will probably be the only solution to prevent this colourful turtle from imminent extinction (8).