Giant Asian Pond Turtle
CR

Giant Asian Pond Turtle

Heosemys grandis

Declining

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Heosemys grandis faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive collection for the international pet trade and traditional medicine markets. Habitat destruction from logging and agricultural conversion in its limited range across Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam has further fragmented remaining populations. The species' slow reproductive rate makes recovery particularly challenging once populations are depleted.

Threat summary

Habitat

This large turtle inhabits lowland tropical forests, preferring areas near streams and wetlands where it can access both terrestrial and aquatic resources. It requires dense canopy cover and leaf litter for foraging and nesting sites.

FRESHWATER· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryLegislation

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Giant Asian Pond Turtle classified as Critically Endangered?
Giant Asian Pond Turtle is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Heosemys grandis faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive collection for the international pet trade and traditional medicine markets. Habitat destruction from logging and agricultural conversion in its limited range across Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam has further fragmented remaining populations. The species' slow reproductive rate makes recovery particularly challenging once populations are depleted.
Where does Giant Asian Pond Turtle live?
Giant Asian Pond Turtle occurs in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and Vietnam. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Giant Asian Pond Turtle?
The main threats to Giant Asian Pond Turtle are 2.1, 5.3, 5.4, and ai-1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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