Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Burmese roofed turtle (Batagur trivittata), recorded as Critically Endangered
Burmese roofed turtle (Batagur trivittata). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Burmese roofed turtle

Batagur trivittata

Burmese roofed turtle is a freshwater turtle endemic to the rivers of Myanmar.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Batagur trivittata
Recorded from
Myanmar
CITES
Appendix II
Taxonomy
Testudines · Geoemydidae · Batagur

The turtle

Burmese roofed turtle is a turtle in the family Geoemydidae — Batagur trivittata.

Range and habitat

It is a freshwater turtle endemic to the rivers of Myanmar. Once common and abundant in its habitat, the species experienced a rapid decline and was believed to be extinct until two subpopulations were rediscovered in 2001 in the Chindwin and Dokhtawady rivers.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Diet

B. Trivittata is a herbivorous turtle. It feeds primarily on the aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation found in its habitat.

In crisis

By 2018, fewer than 10 mature individuals were documented. The Burmese roofed turtle is among the world's most endangered turtle species. In 2007, an illegally traded Burmese roofed turtle was identified at Qingping market in Guangzhou, China, highlighting the ongoing threats of wildlife trafficking.

Because B. Trivittata is an endemic species, it faces many threats to its survival. The current main threats to the Burmese roofed turtles include habitat degradation, predation, excessive egg collection, poaching of mature adults and juveniles for consumption and trade demands, pollution, fishing, and climate change through flooding and extreme weather.

CITES lists this taxon on Appendix II. Confirm the current appendix on the CITES checklist.

Burmese roofed turtle is Critically Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Burmese roofed turtle, Wikidata item Q306287. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Same genus

Photograph of Northern river terrapin (Batagur baska), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Northern river terrapin

Batagur baska
Photograph of Painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Painted terrapin

Batagur borneoensis
Photograph of Red-crowned roofed turtle (Batagur kachuga), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Red-crowned roofed turtle

Batagur kachuga
Photograph of Southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Southern river terrapin

Batagur affinis

Quick answers

What is Burmese roofed turtle?
The Burmese roofed turtle is one of six turtle species in the genus Batagur of the family Geoemydidae. It is a freshwater turtle endemic to the rivers of Myanmar.
What is the conservation status of Burmese roofed turtle?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Batagur trivittata. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Burmese roofed turtle live?
It is a freshwater turtle endemic to the rivers of Myanmar.
Why is Burmese roofed turtle in crisis?
The captive population in five zoos comprised about 1,000 individuals as of 2018.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Batagur trivittata?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Burmese roofed turtle a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.