Yangtze giant female soft-shell turtle
Souzou, China (AHN) — Scientists are disappointed after an attempt to mate two of the last four remaining Yangtze giant softshell turtle in known existence has failed.The female is 80 years old and her mate is 100!
They mated, but the dozens of eggs she laid failed to produce viable offspring.
The U.S.-based Turtle Survival Alliance said that half the eggs seemed viable, but the embryos died. The other eggs were brittle and had cracked shells, which the organization said was a result of a poor diet prior to breeding.
The turtles can attempt another breeding next year. Possibly the largest fresh water turtle in the world. It is listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List 2006, and is one of the rarest turtles in the world.
Rafetus swinhoei, commonly known as the Shanghai soft-shell turtle, Yangtze giant soft-shell turtle is a species of soft-shell turtle.