VietNamNet Bridge - If the normal turtles can only draw the head and feet into their shells, the three species of turtle below can turn themselves into a 100 percent sealed “boxes.”


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These species are referred to by a name "box turtle." The first representative is black back box turtle "Cuora amboinensis."


 
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They can turn themselves into a watertight box by drawing the head, legs and "put on the lid." When they become”boxes,” they are untouchable because no matter how skillful enemies can harm their body.


 
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Black back box turtles mainly live in the swamps of South Vietnam. The number of black back box turtles is decreasing due to hunting.

 

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Yellow forehead box turtles (Cuora galbinifrons) live in moist forest areas throughout Vietnam.


 
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Like black back box turtles, yellow forehead box turtles are also capable of "canning" themselves thanks to two special lids.


 
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This is a beautiful species which is bred in many zoos around the world. They are also subject to hunters of pets.


 
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Because of being intensely hunted, the number of yellow forehead box turtle in Vietnam is very limited. They have been included in the list of endangered species.



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The last representative of the Vietnamese box turtle is three bars box turtle (Cuora trifasciata), which live in some midland and mountainous regions of northern Vietnam.


 
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This is a species known for the rumors that they are raw materials for processing cancer drugs. In the past few decades, this species have been hunted by Chinese traders.



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Becoming increasingly scarce, the price has been pushed up, currently at about VND300 million ($15,000) per kilo for turtles caught in the forest. The price for turtles from farms is "cheaper," only about VND60 million ($3,000) per kilo.
According to experts, three bar box turtles are almost extinct in the wild.


Kien Thuc