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Fresh water turtles shells for sale in a shop, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. No other group of vertebrates is facing extinction like turtles. Nearly half of the 330 species are imminently threatened. Ten have populations of less than 100 individuals. Habitat destruction, in particular the loss of wetlands, has caused many populations to decline to unsustainable levels. Recovery efforts are complicated by the international trade in the rarest species as pets. These turtles fetch a high price, which makes it difficult for rural community members to pass on the economic windfall. They are traded for traditional Chinese medicine and as meat, as well, and harmed by the spread of new pathogens. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree images
- Copyright
- Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
- Image Size
- 4896x3264 / 45.8MB
- Keywords
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black market, black, market, turtles, turtle, trade, crime, wildlife crime, cities, endangered, wildlife trade, shells, china, exotic meat, exotic, Indonesia, TCM, tcm, Traditional Chinese Medicine, freshwater turtles, freshwater, pet, pet trade, exotic pet trade, illegal pet trade, chelonian, tortoise, exotic pet trade. Traditional Medicine, exotic meat trade, reptiles, Wildlife Trade
- Contained in galleries
- Freshwater Turtle Trade
