Hoan Kiem Turtle

Taxobox
name = Hoan Kiem Turtle
status = NR
trend = down
status_ref =


image_width = 200px
image_caption = Rùa Hồ Gươm
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo = Testudines
familia = Trionychidae
genus = "Rafetus"
species = "R. leloii"
binomial = "Rafetus leloii"
binomial_authority = (Gray, 1873)

The Hoan Kiem Turtle ("Rafetus leloii") is a species of turtle from Southeast Asia. Its status as a distinct species is questionable, with the most recent review strongly suggesting "Rafetus leloii" is a synonym of "Rafetus swinhoei"Farkas, B and Webb, R.G. 2003. "Rafetus leloii Hà Dinh Dúc, 2000—an invalid species of softshell turtle from Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam (Reptilia, Testudines, Trionychidae)." Zool. Abhandl. (Dresden), 53: 107-112.]

Mythology

Stories of the Hoan Kiem Turtle began in the fifteenth century with Lê Lợi, who became an emperor of Vietnam and founder of the Le Dynasty. According to legend, Le Loi had a magic sword given to him by Kim Qui, the Golden Turtle God. One day, not long after the Chinese had accepted Vietnam's independence, Le Loi was out boating on a lake in Hanoi. Suddenly a large turtle surfaced, took the sword from Le Loi, and dove back into the depths. Efforts were made to find both the sword and the turtle, but without success. Le Loi then acknowledged the sword had gone back to the Golden Turtle God and renamed the lake Hoan Kiem Lake (or Ho Guom Lake), "The Lake of the Returned Sword".

Rediscovery

Near the northern shore of Hoan Kiem Lake lies Jade Island, on which the Ngoc Son Temple (Jade Mountain Temple) is located. On June 2, 1967 a Hoan Kiem Turtle died, and was preserved and placed on display in the temple. That particular specimen weighed 200kg (440 lbs) and measured 1.9 meters long (6ft 3in). [ [http://english.vietnamnet.vn/features/2005/04/406255/ VietNamNet Bridge ] ] Until that time, no one was sure if the species still lived.

Professor Ha Dinh Duc gave the Hoan Kiem Turtle its scientific name, "Rafetus leloii". [http://english.vietnamnet.vn/features/2005/04/406255/ VietNamNet Bridge ] ]

On March 24, 1998 an amateur cameraman caught the creature on video, conclusively proving the the elusive creatures still survived in the lake. [ [http://www.cnn.com/EARTH/9804/13/vietnam.turtles.ap/ CNN - Giant turtle sightings set Vietnam capital abuzz - Apr. 13, 1998 ] ] Prior to its recent rediscovery, the turtles were thought to be only a legend and were classified as cryptozoological. ["The Field Guide To LAKE MONSTERS, SEA SERPENTS, and other mystery denizens of the deep", Loren Coleman and Patrick Huyghe, 2003, ISBN 1-58542-252-5]

As of 2008, three Hoam Kiem Turtles are in captivity, two of them in Chinese zoos. Another is being taken care of in the Hoan Kiem Lake. [ [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/zoo_rare_turtle Yahoo - Rare giant turtle found in Vietnam - Apr. 17, 2008]

Classification

Duc believes that the species could be related to the trionychidae species, "Rafetus swinhoei", also known as the Shanghai soft-shell turtle, a critically endangered species found in China. Also, comparison of the preserved turtle with images of the Shanghai species shows clear differences in coloration and head shape, supporting Professor Duc's thesis that this could be a new species.Fact|date=April 2008

Others have questioned the validity of the "R. leloii", instead believing it is a synonym of "R. swinhoei"

Duc has also hypothesized that King Le Thai To brought the turtles from Thanh Hoa Province and released them in Hoan Kiem Lake. Recently, Duc and some researchers found skeletons of giant turtles in Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Hoa Binh Provinces. [ [http://english.vietnamnet.vn/features/2005/04/406255/ VietNamNet Bridge ] ]

Conservation concerns

Professor Duc believes that there is only one specimen left in the Hoan Kiem Lake. [ [http://english.vietnamnet.vn/features/2005/04/406255/ VietNamNet Bridge ] ] Peter Pritchard, a renowned turtle biologist, believes that there are no more than five specimens left. [ [http://nytts.org/vietnam/news/news-save/hoankiem.htm Sphere - Turtle ] ]

The lake itself is both small and shallow, measuring 200 meters wide, 600 meters long, and only two meters deep. It is also badly polluted, although the turtles could conceivably live underwater indefinitely, coming to the surface only for an occasional gulp of air or a bit of sun. According to Pritchard, the turtles are threatened by municipal "improvements" around the lake. The banks have been almost entirely cemented over, leaving only a few yards of rocky beach where a turtle might find a place to bury her clutches of 100 or more eggs. [ [http://nytts.org/vietnam/news/news-save/hoankiem.htm Sphere - Turtle ] ]

Plans are underway to clean the lake of pollution, and the construction of an artificial beach has been proposed to facilitate breeding. [ [http://www.cnn.com/EARTH/9804/13/vietnam.turtles.ap/ CNN - Giant turtle sightings set Vietnam capital abuzz - Apr. 13, 1998 ] ]

Professor Duc is currently organizing people to protect this animal and is quoted at saying, "We hope that we will find a partner for the turtle in Ho Guom, so that our legendary animal could avoid extinction." [ [http://english.vietnamnet.vn/features/2005/04/406255/ VietNamNet Bridge ] ]

Captivity

Three known Swinhoe's soft-shell turtles are in captivity, said experts from the Zoo's Asian turtle Program. The discovery represents hope for the species, said Doug Hendri, the Vietnam-based coordinator of the zoo program. Two are in Chinese zoos, and another is cared for in the Hoan Kiem Lake.

References

External links

* [http://nytts.org/vietnam/news/news-save/hoankiem.htm Legendary turtle should be making one of its rare appearances soon]
* [http://english.vietnamnet.vn/features/2005/04/406255/ Hoan Kiem Lake Turtle: from myth to reality]