The Southern Yellow-headed Box Turtle weighs about 1 kg, has a light brown shell, and a unique feature where its plastron can completely close with the shell.
Vietnamese and Russian researchers recently discovered a species known as the Southern Yellow-headed Box Turtle (Cuora picturata), also referred to as the Vietnamese Box Turtle, part of the family Geoemydidae. This turtle species was identified by experts during a survey conducted in January as part of the project titled “Research on the Status and Proposed Solutions for Managing and Conserving Biodiversity in the De Ca – Hon Vong Phu Area, Phu Yen Province,” implemented by the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, the Central Highland and South Central Forestry Science Institute, and Moscow State University, Russia. This rare species is endemic to the Phu Yen area and some neighboring provinces, including Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh, and Dak Lak.
Southern Yellow-headed Box Turtle. (Photo: Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center).
During the survey, scientists noted that this species has the distinctive feature of a plastron that can completely close with the shell, with no openings at the back of the light yellow plastron that has large black spots; the head is slightly pointed at the front, with a short nose, and the head is light yellow or reddish-brown, with small dark spots.
Common turtle species can only retract their heads and limbs into their shells, leaving some “exposed flesh” outside. However, the Southern Yellow-headed Box Turtle has a unique characteristic; it can completely transform into a sealed box by retracting its head and limbs and “closing the lid.” This makes them invulnerable, as no part of their body is exposed. The “lid” consists of two movable parts: the upper shell and the plastron, which is a distinctive feature of box turtles not found in other turtle species.
Top (left) and bottom of the Southern Yellow-headed Box Turtle. (Photo: Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center).
According to the Vietnam Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS Vietnam), Southeast Asia is home to the most diverse species of terrestrial and freshwater turtles in the world, with over 90 species, accounting for more than 25% of all known terrestrial and freshwater turtle species. Vietnam is home to 25 species of terrestrial and freshwater turtles, including two endemic species: the Southern Yellow-headed Box Turtle (Cuora picturata) and the Central Turtle (Mauremys annamensis).
The Southern Yellow-headed Box Turtle is currently classified as critically endangered according to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is estimated that there are around 3,000 to 10,000 individuals left in the wild. In Vietnam, the population of the Southern Yellow-headed Box Turtle is rapidly declining due to habitat loss and poaching.
Experts from the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center emphasize that to conserve and develop the extremely rare Southern Yellow-headed Box Turtle, it is essential to protect its habitat and raise public awareness about not hunting and trading wildlife.
