Cuora mccordi
McCord’s Box Turtle

    • Habitat:
      Bamboo patches in broadleaf forests and accompanying shallow wetlands and small streams
    • Threats:
      - Collection for the pet and food trades
      - Habitat destruction
      - Pollution
    • Conservation Efforts:
      - Captive breeding and assurance colonies
      - Protected in the wild in China
      - CITES Appendix II
    • Wild Population:
      - Presumed Extinct in the wild
      - Last specimen observed in 2010
    • Endangered Status:
      Critically Endangered

Fast Facts

The McCord’s Box Turtle is likely extinct in the wild due to collection for food and pet markets, habitat loss, and pollution.

Females lay 1 – 6 eggs per clutch and can triple-clutch per year.

While juveniles are aquatic, adults are mainly terrestrial.

Species Snapshot

McCord’s Box Turtles were only described as a species as recently as 1988 based on imported specimens from Hong Kong; its true origins remained a mystery for two decades until scientists finally found their habitat. Although never a common species, the McCord’s Box Turtle was, for at least one farmer, common on their land. This is evidenced by an anecdote that the farmer would hurl these box turtles at water buffalo in their agricultural field, as the turtles were more common there than stones!