Reptiles
Golden Coin Turtle
Cuora trifasciata · also called Chinese three-striped box turtle
In a breeding centre in southern China, a golden coin turtle pulls its head into its hinged shell, its three dark stripes gleaming against the golden brown of its back.
Overview
The golden coin turtle, Cuora trifasciata, is a Critically Endangered box turtle of forest streams and wet ground in southern China and northern Vietnam. Its striped shell and fame as a medicine have made it a prime example of how demand can empty the wild of a species.
A turtle worth its weight in more than gold
Because of the belief that it can cure illness, a single golden coin turtle can fetch thousands of dollars, a price that drives poaching of the few that remain.
Status
Critically Endangered, with a declining population.
Golden Coin Turtle: common questions
Why is the golden coin turtle so valuable?
It is highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine and believed by some to cure illness, which has made individual turtles worth huge sums.
Why is it called the golden coin turtle?
It is named for its golden-brown shell, which is marked with three dark stripes.
Is it extinct in the wild?
It is extremely rare in the wild after decades of collection, and may be close to extinct there, though many survive in captivity.
Where does the golden coin turtle live?
It lives in forest streams and wet ground in southern China and northern Vietnam.