Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Wattle-necked softshell turtle (Palea steindachneri), recorded as Critically Endangered
Wattle-necked softshell turtle (Palea steindachneri). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Wattle-necked softshell turtle

Palea steindachneri

Wattle-necked softshell turtle is a turtle in the family Trionychidae — Palea steindachneri, recorded as Critically Endangered.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Palea steindachneri
CITES
Appendix II
Taxonomy
Testudines · Trionychidae · Palea

Appearance

The wattle-necked softshell turtle, also called Steindachner's soft-shelled turtle, is an endangered Asian species of softshell turtle in the family Trionychidae.

Females of this freshwater turtle reach up to 44.5 cm (17.5 in) in straight carapace length, while males only reach up to 36 cm (14 in).

Range and habitat

P. Steindachneri is native to southeastern China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Yunnan), Laos, and Vietnam, but has also been introduced to Hawaii and Mauritius.

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

In crisis

P. Steindachneri is endangered by poaching for human consumption. Although pressure on the wild population continues, several thousand are hatched and raised each year on turtle farms in China and Vietnam for food and traditional medicine.

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

Wattle-necked softshell 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 Wattle-necked softshell turtle, Wikidata item Q2415046. 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.

Also in this catalog

Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii
Photograph of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

Quick answers

What is Wattle-necked softshell turtle?
Wattle-necked softshell turtle is a turtle in the family Trionychidae — Palea steindachneri.
What is the conservation status of Wattle-necked softshell turtle?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Palea steindachneri. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Wattle-necked softshell turtle live?
P. Steindachneri is native to southeastern China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Yunnan), Laos, and Vietnam, but has also been introduced to Hawaii and Mauritius.
Why is Wattle-necked softshell turtle in crisis?
P. Steindachneri is endangered by poaching for human consumption.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Palea steindachneri?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Wattle-necked softshell turtle a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.