A Survey of Reeves' Turtle (Mauremys reevesii) in Qichun County, Hubei Province, China

Abstract

Abstract. Reeves' turtle (Mauremys reevesii) originated in China and was once one of the most widely distributed and abundant hard-shelled turtles in China; however, overharvesting has led to a sharp decline in its wild populations. A survey of Reeves' turtle was conducted from July 2021 to March 2022 in Qichun County, Hubei Province, China. A total of 74 individuals were caught in 26 ponds (1078 trap-days), indicating a catch effort population density of 0.07 individuals/trap-day. The 840 similar ponds in the field-surveyed towns indicate a population number of 2391 individuals and density of 4 individuals/km2. Our preliminary results suggest that Reeves' turtle populations face serious threats from human hunting activities, habitat destruction, and artificial release and urgently require an aggressive conservation program to ensure their survival.