Visitors to the Changsha Zoo in China's southern Hunan Province observe the endangered Yangtze soft-shell turtle.
It would be possible to clone the last known of a species as well as harvest her eggs to introduce another species fertilization very near in the genetic tree. Quite possibly, an introduction of a genetic alle only masculine into a harvested egg could result in a fertile 'pair' of turtles rather than one lone female destined for extinction. At no cost to this female's longevity should an approach result in potential offspring, but, the efforts need to go forward and soon.
China has been more than successful with Pandas and I don't understand why even the River Dolphin was allowed to become extinct. While China grapples with widespread pollution due to it's population and burgeoning wealth and economy there is no reason for any species to become extinct in China. It has the scientific expertise to do otherwise with eventual reintroduction when it's rivers are rescued from the pollution and it's air quality valued to breath again. I honestly don't understand why China does not have a vast and vigorous Environmental Protection Agency. It's a communist nation with enough will to harness talent to pursue those most honorable goals. China needs to proceed on a path of environmental stewardship and dignity to out class that of the USA. Under Bush? That's easy !!!
China’s Turtles, Emblems of a Crisis (click here)
CHANGSHA, China — Unnoticed and unappreciated for five decades, a large female turtle with a stained, leathery shell is now a precious commodity in this city’s decaying zoo. She is fed a special diet of raw meat. Her small pool has been encased with bulletproof glass. A surveillance camera monitors her movements. A guard is posted at night.
China turns turtle in race to save species Global crisis (click here)
JIM YARDLEY IN CHANGSHA, CHINA
SHE is fed a special diet of raw meat. Her small pool has been encased with bulletproof glass. A surveillance camera monitors her movements. A guard is posted at night.
The agenda is simple: the turtle must not die.
Unnoticed and unappreciated for decades, a large female turtle with a stained, leathery shell is now a precious commodity in the decaying Changsha Zoo in China.
Earlier this year, scientists concluded that she is the world's last known female giant Yangtze soft-shell turtle. She is about 80 years old and weighs almost 100lbs.
The world's one undisputed, known male lives 500 miles away at a zoo in the city of Suzhou. He is 100 years old and weighs about 200lbs. They are the last hope of saving a species believed to be the largest freshwater turtles in the world.
"It's a very dire situation," said Peter Pritchard, a prominent turtle expert in the US who has been involved in efforts to save the species....
