189: 'extinct' turtle found in Vietnam

Good news from Vietnam today, where scientists recently (re)discovered a species of turtle that they had thought might be extinct. The soft-shelled Swinhoe's turtle was found by researchers from Cleveland zoo, in a lake near the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi. As today's linked article from Vietnam's Thanh Nien newspaper reports, the search for the turtle took 3 years. It's highly endangered, having been decimated by hunting, habitat destruction and pollution - and, although this find suggests the turtle is more resilient than previously thought, it remains under threat, with significant demand for turtle products across the region and specifically in China. However, the Swinhoe turtle is apparently revered in Vietnamese legend - a status that may afford it some protection from now on. (Photo from Thanh Nien.)