WOW! That's amazing! Hey, congrats to you and your country, Sorciere!

I belong to the Turtle Survival Alliance and they also have a YAHOOgroup. But as luck would have it, the email they sent out letting us know about the eggs didn't come through the group, it was a personal email, and I delete my "trash" box after I read the emails, so I don't have it available. As I remember the story, some one captured the large female and flew it to wherever the male lives. They put a divider in the enclosure so that the male and female could get acquainted without physical contact, then after some time, took out the divider. Several days ago the female was observed digging on the bank, and later the eggs were discovered. I'm sure we'll be getting some sort of news announcement again about it, and when I do I'll copy/paste the address for you.

Yvonne

Wow, this is really great.
I hope that Emesemys will soon have some more good news for us.
Many thanks.

I promised to keep you updated on the rare soft shelled turtle (there are only 3 males and one female left in the world)

Here's the latest I've heard from TSA (Turtle Survival Alliance):

>>> Rafetus update from China - message from Rick Hudson

TSAGerald Kuchling arrived back in China and on 23 June excavated the nesting area where China Girl had been observed digging. A clutch of 45 eggs was excavated, 32 of which went into three incubators, the rest left in the sand for natural incubation. Four days later Gerald closely examined the eggs for development and reports that "17 show clear sign of development (clear round white patches, larger at higher temperatures), five with possible white patches, and 10 with no sign of development. Thus, 53%-68% of eggs have started to develop." And the female continues to come up on the beach and explore, leading to hopes that she will soon nest again.

With hatching expected in 50 - 70 days, and with egg laying estimated during the first week of June, we could have hatchlings by early August. Our next step is to get hatchling rearing units set up with adequate filtration, temperature control and lighting before then. The TSA has also hired a young Chinese American grad student, Emily King, to be stationed at the Suzhou Zoo for the next two months. Emily's job will be to monitor egg incubation and husbandry, and to communicate her observations to us.


We have a new donor to the Rafetus project - long time supporter the British Chelonia Group. They have offered to cover the cost of the three Lyon incubators and shipping costs, total $1,800 US. The TSA is also being asked to host the two Directors of the Suzhou and Changsha Zoo at the TSA conference in order to celebrate this historic event, and to build capacity for the long term future of this project. If anyone has a surplus of frequent flyer miles that can help with this request, or if you want to help support this effort, please let us know.

This is great news. Does anyone know what is age of sexual maturity? I dare say with the Chinese turtles and the Vietnamese one there may still be a little genetic diversity.

totally awesome thanks for the update!

I had heard about the breeding, but hadn't yet heard about the eggs Yvonne. Thats great news that that many are fertile.

With all turtles and tortoises it's more size than age Larry. Of all the 4 turtles known the male from North Vietnam is the youngest, but still adult. I don't think anyone knows for sure what the minimum size is for a female to be mature as there have never been enough individuals around to study. They'll be learning on the fly with these hatchlings.

Danny

Yvonne thanks for the update. That is such GREAT news. People we could be watching this species literally being brought back from the edge of extinction. Now that is mind blowing.

Yvonne, thanks for the update that is such good news. We could be watching this speices literally being brought back from the the edge of extention. Now that is mind blowing.