China Turtle farming

a wuhan restaurant advertises softshell turtle (甲鱼). sign mentions, order 3 or more pounds of turtle, 4 bottles of beer free

the majority of world s turtle farms located in china. according study published in 2007, on thousand turtle farms operated in china. later report same team (shi haitao, james f. parham, et al.), published in january 2008, based on attempt survey 1,499 turtle farms registered appropriate authorities of people s republic of china (namely, endangered species import , export management office, , forestry bureaus of individual provinces). farms located in china s southern provinces of guangdong, guangxi, hainan, , hunan, although more recent sources indicate zhejiang particularly important. of farms have been operating since 1980s, industry steadily growing since.

according responses obtained 684 of farms, had total of 300 million animals, , sold on 128 million turtles each year, total weight of 93,000 tons. extrapolating sample, researchers estimated 300 million farm-raised turtles sold annually china s registered turtle farms, worth (presumably, @ wholesale prices) around us$750 million. note large number of unregistered farms exist.

according more recent chinese statistics, annual production of chinese softshelled turtle amounted 204,000 tons in 2008.

an assortment of turtles in market in yangzhou

the common species raised chinese turtle farmers chinese softshell turtle (pelodiscus sinensis), accounting on 97% of reported sales, both in terms of head count (124.8 million in 684-farm sample) , weight. large-scale production of species appears have been successful in satisfying china gourmets demand meat, has been reflected in price drop: while in mid-1990s, wild-caught softshelled turtles retailed cny 500 per chinese pound or jin (500 g), , farm-raised ones @ on cny 200 / chinese pound, 1999 price farm-raised softshelled turtles dropped cny 60 per chinese pound, , 2009, merely cny 15-16 per chinese pound. other species bred , raised in large numbers (in excess of 10,000 per year, each) in china wattle-necked softshell turtle (palea steindachneri), chinese pond turtle (chinemys reevesii), yellow pond turtle (mauremys mutica), chinese stripe-necked turtle (ocadia sinensis) , red-eared slider (trachemys scripta elegans).

numerous other species farmed in smaller quantities. among these rare golden coin turtle (cuora trifasciata), fetching us$1,800 per turtle, opposed around $6.50 common chinese softshell turtle, or $80 keeled box turtle (cuora mouhotii) sold pet trade, due rarity , purported medicinal value.

in report tunchang county, hainan, turtle farm, published james f. parham , shi haitao in 2000, researchers give general idea of such enterprise. according owner, farm, established in 1983, had around 50,000 animals of on 50 different aquatic , terrestrial species. majority, 30,000, common chinese softshell turtle.

the practice of catching wild turtles continues, despite availability of farmed ones. stenciled advertisement, commonly seen in luxi, fujian, offers high prices turtles

there 7,000 8,000 yellow pond turtles, , @ least 1,000 of prized golden coin turtle. adult turtles lived in 8 hectares (20 acres) outdoor breeding area, while young ones kept in indoor raising ponds.

hybridization between various turtle species occurs on farms. has been unintentional, , characteristic of days of industry. sometimes, however, hybridization encouraged, e.g. produce hybrids of valuable golden coin turtle , more common yellow pond turtle. these hybrid turtles, known fujian pond turtle (mauremys iversoni), sold customers pure-blood golden coin turtles.