Yellow Margined Box Turtle (Cuora flavomarginata)

Malayan Box Turtle (Cuora amboinensis)

KFBG staff packing turtles into special live animal shipment boxes

On 19th August, 2013, 28 Malayan Box Turtles (Cuora amboinensis) and 5 Yellow Margined Box Turtles (Cuora flavomarginata) were sent to the Turtle Survival Alliance USA to join their breeding programmes for the two species.

On 14 November 2010, we received a group of 150 Malayan Box Turtles from an original seizure by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) of 800 turtles. The turtles were being smuggled into mainland China via Hong Kong probably in an attempt to avoid paying China taxes. Of the original 150 animals that we received 56 had survived as at the time of writing. The other 94 perished over the last 3 years primarily related to their poor condition on arrival. The illegal food trade can be cruel with transport conditions and handling being very poor.

Looking for homes for Malayan Box Turtles that are well represented in captivity is difficult as conservation breeding institutions do not prioritize funding for this species. The Turtle Survival Alliance USA showed willingness to accept 28 turtles for their breeding programme with the proviso that funding be found to ship the turtles. We thus obtained funding from the KFBG Conservation Fund for transfer of the turtles to America.

Together with the Malayan Box Turtles we will be sending 5 Yellow Margined Box Turtles to the same consignee. As these turtles are insufficiently represented in captive breeding programmes, there was no difficulty encountered in rehoming the 5 specimens.

You can help by reporting suspected illegal wildlife trade activities to AFCD at (852) 2150 6978 or KFBG at (852) 2483 7136.