Vietnamese pond turtle
The Annam pond turtle ( Cathaiemys annamensis ) is a species of Old World pond turtles and belongs to the genus of Asian turtles. It is a rare by the IUCN as strong gefährdetet classified nature, which is limited to a small area in Vietnam. She is one of the largest species within the Old World pond turtles. Your system has not yet been clarified. In older literature, it is passed as the yellow pond turtle in the genus Mauremys.
Appearance
The Annam pond turtle has a carapace length of up to 30 centimeters. The species differs from other Old World pond turtles by the coloration of her head. He is dark and has three to four longitudinal stripes that run on the head side. The plastron is yellow or orange, and has on each plate a black color spot. On the carapace, there are three longitudinal keels. The feet are webbed.
Dissemination, lifestyle and stock
The Annam pond turtle is endemic to a small area in Quang Nam province in central Vietnam. As late as the 1930s it was considered common species and occurred among others in the near Da Nang. However a study after 1941 field investigation could already find no wild individuals more. However, since they kept reappearing on food markets in China and Hong Kong, it was regarded as not yet extinct. Animals were variously imported to Europe and the United States, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. These came mostly in the care of experienced turtles holder and soon first breeding successes one. In 2006, an isolated population of Annam terrapins near Hoi An was found. The species is in the meantime grown on a turtle farm on the Chinese island of Hainan, where, unfortunately, is often hybrids with the sister species Mauremys mutica occur. The Annam turtle is - but only in small quantities - traced also in the Cuc Phuong Turtle Conservation Center in Cuc Phuong National Park in northern Vietnam .. In Europe and in the U.S. Mauremys is annamensis today mainly by various private owners as well as the International Centre for turtle Conservation at the Zoo Münster very successfully increased, so that at least the survival of the species is assured in captivity. In nature, it is still in imminent danger of extinction, as the poaching of turtle this date could not be prevented. Should this succeed, European and American breds could be released back into the wild.
Way of life
Over the life of this kind is so far very little is known. Due to their physique and their habitats is concluded that she lives in or near slow-flowing or stagnant waters. It is considered omnivores because captive animals eat both fruits and leaves as well as fish and worms. The females of this species have clutches that include usually one to eight eggs. The largest previously known nest contained twelve eggs. The young hatch after an incubation period of 80 to 90 days.