“Hong Kong is one of the last strongholds of turtle conservation in Asia ,” said Sung Yik-hei, an associate professor at Lingnan University . He has been tracking the city’s turtle population for more than a decade and estimates that the population has dropped between 60% and 80% in that time.
“The situation couldn’t get any worse ,” he said.
A big-headed turtle in a laboratory at Lingnan University in Hong Kong. (Photo: CNN).
Booming market
The rural suburbs of Hong Kong with its subtropical climate, many rivers and streams, and few people are habitats for various species of freshwater turtles.
Many species of turtles here were once common in other parts of Asia, such as Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, and mainland China, but poaching has decimated their populations to the point where some Currently there are only a few hundred individuals and mainly only in Hong Kong, according to CNN.
“In every stream I visited recently, we observed signs of illegal turtle poaching. We’ve found traps, or no turtles, in places where we know for sure there are live turtles.”
Among the turtle populations he is fighting for conservation is the golden tortoise (or three-barred box turtle) , a species once prized for its medicinal significance. This turtle is now a sought-after pet with prices running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, as many believe the golden stripes on its head represent prosperity.
Golden turtles can be sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars on the Hong Kong black market. (Photo: Sung Yik-hei).
Sung said there are an estimated 100 golden turtles left in Hong Kong, one of the last major populations of the species in the world.
Facing a similar situation is the Beale’s eyed turtle (Sacalia bealei) , which has fewer than 200 individuals left in Hong Kong and an unidentified – but believed to be very small – number in mainland China.
This turtle has a pattern of two eyes on the back of its head. Its unique appearance makes it a remarkable item, selling for hundreds of dollars on the black market.
Also among the most threatened is the big-headed turtle. With an eagle-like beak, a crocodile-like tail, and an oversized head, this odd-looking turtle has become popular with fancy pet seekers.
This species is currently only a few hundred in Hong Kong. The number of individuals of this species in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam may be even less. They sell for up to $1,000 on the black market.
Beale’s eyed turtles have less than 200 individuals left in Hong Kong. (Photo: Sung Yik-hei).
Laws are not enough to prevent
None of the three species of turtles listed above are considered suitable for keeping as pets. Mr. Sung said big-headed turtles are particularly unsuitable, as it is difficult to build captivity that resembles their natural habitat.
In addition, under Hong Kong law, trading or keeping endangered turtles in captivity is a criminal offense, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and 10 million HKD ($1.27 million), depending on the law. belonging to the species.
However, the illegal turtle trade in the city is still active, alongside legal imports.
Citing public data, the ADM Capital Foundation, a private research agency based in Hong Kong, said the city government has seized at least 17,900 live turtles from smugglers since 2015. .
Bowie Chan Wing-wai, 41, who runs the Hong Kong Reptile Channel Facebook page, said the keeping of turtles and small reptiles is now common in the city. Many Hong Kongers live in narrow houses, and they think these animals can be kept in small spaces, such as crates or small aquariums in the house.
However, this concept is wrong because beyond the breadth of space, other environmental factors – such as sunlight – also greatly affect their health .
A suspect of turtle poaching. (Photo: Sung Yik-hei).
Sam Inglis, ADM’s Wildlife Program Manager, said export records show that only a few hundred thousand of the 4.3 million turtles imported between 2015 and 2022 were legally re-exported. Most of them stay in the city, die, are consumed, or smuggled out of Hong Kong illegally.
Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) told CNN it “sparred nothing but efforts to fight illegal hunting activities to protect wildlife”. They worked with police and local animal rights groups to inspect nesting areas and remove animal traps.
The agency says it has successfully prosecuted 24 of the 47 wildlife poaching cases detected since 2020. During the same period, the agency successfully prosecuted four of the 38 related cases. to trade in endangered freshwater turtles.
However, poachers remain unafraid. They are usually active at night and often carry weapons.
Mr. Sung took CNN to two locations where his cameras broke. He believes it was caused by poachers.