Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Species in Vietnam
Native species
Big-Headed Turtle
(Platysternon megacephalum)
Malayan Box Turtle
(Cuora amboinensis kamaroma)
Bourret’s Box Turtle
(Cuora bourreti)
Indochinese Box Turtle
(Cuora galbinifrons)
Southern Vietnamese Box Turtle
(Cuora picturata)
Keeled Box Turtle
(Cuora mouhotii)
Vietnamese Three-striped Box Turtle
(Cuora (trifasciata) cyclornata)
Western Black-bridged Leaf Turtle
(Cyclemys atripons)
Southern Asian Leaf Turtle
(Cyclemys oldhamii)
Eastern Black-bridged Leaf Turtle
(Cyclemys pulchristriata)
Black-breasted Leaf Turtle
(Geoemyda spengleri)
Yellow-headed Temple Turtle
(Heosemys annandalii)
Giant Asian Pond Turtle
(Heosemys grandis)
Mekong Snail-eating Turtle
(Malayemys subtrijuga)
Vietnamese Pond Turtle
(Mauremys annamensis)
Asian yellow Pond Turtle
(Mauremys mutica)
Chinese striped-neck Turtle
(Mauremys sinensis)
Four-eyed Turtle
(Sacalia quadriocellata)
Black Marsh Turtle
(Siebenrockiella crassicollis)
Elongated Tortoise
(Indotestudo elongata)
Impressed Tortoise
(Manouria impressa)
Southeast Asian Softshell Turtle
(Amyda (cartilaginea) ornata)
Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle
(Palea steindachneri)
Cantor’s giant Softshell Turtle
(Pelochelys cantorii)
Spotted Softshell Turtle
(Pelodiscus variegatus)
Swinhoe’s Softshell Turtle
(Rafetus swinhoei)
Non-native species
According to IUCN Red List 2020, they are listed
Big-headed Turtle
Platysternon megacephalum
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix I
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IB
– Decree 160/2013/ND-CP (amended by Decree 64/2019/ND-CP)
Distribution: Cambodia, southern China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Fast-flowing streams and waterfalls
Major threats: Hunting and trade
Malayan Box Turtle
Cuora amboinensis kamaroma
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
– Decree 160/2013/ND-CP
Distribution: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar (?), Philippines (?), Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Lowland wetlands, ponds, marshes and slow-flowing streams
Major threats: Hunting and international trade
Bourret’s Box Turtle
Cuora bourreti
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix I
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IB
– Decree 160/2013/ND-CP (amended by Decree 64/2019/ND-CP)
Distribution: Laos, Vietnam
Habitat: Woodlands and evergreen forests at mid- to high elevations
Major threats: Habitat degradation, hunting and trade
Indochinese Box Turtle
Cuora galbinifrons
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
– Decree 160/2013/ND-CP
Distribution: Southern China, Laos, Vietnam
Habitat: Woodlands and evergreen forests at mid- to high elevations
Major threats: Habitat degradation, hunting and trade
Keeled Box Turtle
Cuora mouhotii
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand (?)
Habitat: Limestone forests, caves and mountains
Major threats: Habitat degradation, hunting and trade
Southern Vietnam Box Turtle
Cuora picturata
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix I
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IB
– Decree 160/2013/ND-CP (amended by Decree 64/2019/ND-CP)
Distribution: Central Vietnam
Habitat: Woodlands and evergreen forests at mid- to high elevations
Major threats: Habitat degradation, hunting and trade
Vietnamese Three-striped Box Turtle
Cuora (trifasciata) cyclornata
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
– Decree 160/2013/ND-CP
Distribution: China, Laos, Vietnam
Habitat: Forest streams and marshes at low to mid-elevations
Major threats: Hunting and international trade
Western Black-bridged Leaf Turtle
Cyclemys atripons
Conservation status: Not Evaluated (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
Distribution: Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Forest streams and marshes at low to mid-elevations
Major threats: Habitat loss, hunting and trade
Southern Asian Leaf Turtle
Cyclemys oldhamii
Conservation status: Not Evaluated (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Forest streams and marshes at low to mid-elevations
Major threats: Habitat loss, hunting and trade
Eastern Black-bridged Leaf Turtle
Cyclemys pulchristriata
Conservation status: Not Evaluated (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: Cambodia, Vietnam
Habitat: Forest streams and marshes at low to mid-elevations
Major threats: Habitat loss, hunting and trade
Black-breasted Leaf Turtle
Geoemyda spengleri
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: China, Laos, Vietnam
Habitat: Montane forests at mid- to high elevations
Major threats: Hunting and international trade
Yellow-headed Temple Turtle
Heosemys annandalii
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia (Peninsular), Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Slow-flowing rivers, ponds and wetlands
Major threats: Hunting and international trade
Giant Asian Pond Turtle
Heosemys grandis
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia (Peninsular), Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Rivers, streams, marshes, and wetlands at low to mid-elevations
Major threats: Hunting and international trade
Mekong Snail-eating Turtle
Malayemys subtrijuga
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand (?), Vietnam
Habitat: Ponds, streams, swamps, marshes, and wetlands at low elevations
Major threats: Habitat loss and hunting
Vietnamese Pond Turtle
Mauremys annamensis
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IB
– Decree 160/2013/ND-CP
Distribution: Central Vietnam
Habitat: Ponds, marshes, wetlands and slow-moving streams at low elevations
Major threats: Habitat loss, hunting and trade for local consumption
Yellow Pond Turtle
Mauremys mutica
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IB
Distribution: China, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam
Habitat: Ponds, marshes, wetlands and slow-moving streams
Major threats: Habitat loss, hunting and trade
Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle
Mauremys sinensis
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix III
Distribution: China, Taiwan, Vietnam
Habitat: Rivers, ponds and wetlands at low elevations
Major threats: Habitat loss, hunting and trade
Four-eyed Turtle
Sacalia quadriocellata
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: China, Laos, Vietnam
Habitat: Woodland streams in montane forests
Major threats: Hunting and trade
Black Marsh Turtle
Siebenrockiella crassicollis
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Slow-flowing rivers, streams, ponds and marshes
Major threats: Hunting and trade
Elongated Tortoise
Indotestudo elongata
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Forests, grasslands and scrublands at low-mid elevations
Major threats: Hunting, local consumption, international trade and habitat loss
Impressed Tortoise
Manouria impressa
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Hilly and montane forests at mid-to high elevations
Major threats: Habitat loss, hunting and trade
Southeast Asian Softshell Turtle
Amyda ornata
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Various lakes, streams and rivers
Major threats: Hunting, international trade and local consumption
Wattle-necked Softshell Turtle
Palea steindachneri
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
Distribution: China, Vietnam
Habitat: Streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes at low-mid elevations
Major threats: Habitat loss, hunting and trade
Cantor’s Giant Softshell Turtle
Pelochelys cantorii
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IIB
– Decree 160/2013/ND-CP
Distribution: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam
Habitat: Large rivers, lakes and coastal waters
Major threats: Hunting and local consumption
Spotted Softshell Turtle
Pelodiscus variegatus
Conservation status: Not Evaluated (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
None
Distribution: China, Vietnam
Habitat: Rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and wetlands
Major threats: Hunting, local consumption and habitat loss
Swinhoe’s Softshell Turtle
Rafetus swinhoei
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (IUCN, 2020)
Legal protections:
– CITES Appendix II
– Decree 06/2019/ND-CP Appendix IB
– Decree 160/2013/ND-CP
Distribution:
Historic: the Red River system of China and Vietnam
Current: Hanoi province, Vietnam
Habitat: Large rivers, lakes and wetlands
Major threats: Habitat loss, hunting and trade for local consumption