CR

Zhou's Box Turtle

Cuora zhoui

Unknown

Overview

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

Cuora zhoui faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive collection for the traditional medicine trade and food markets, where turtle shells and meat command high prices. Habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development has fragmented the remaining forest streams and wetlands essential for this species. The combination of overexploitation and habitat loss has pushed this endemic Chinese turtle to the brink of extinction, with wild populations now extremely rare.

Threat summary

Habitat

Zhou's box turtle inhabits shallow forest streams, ponds, and wetlands in subtropical mountainous regions of southern China. The species requires clean, slow-moving waters with abundant aquatic vegetation and adjacent terrestrial areas for nesting and foraging.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Zhou's Box Turtle classified as Critically Endangered?
Zhou's Box 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. Cuora zhoui faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive collection for the traditional medicine trade and food markets, where turtle shells and meat command high prices. Habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development has fragmented the remaining forest streams and wetlands essential for this species. The combination of overexploitation and habitat loss has pushed this endemic Chinese turtle to the brink of extinction, with wild populations now extremely rare.
Where does Zhou's Box Turtle live?
Zhou's Box Turtle occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Zhou's Box Turtle?
The main threats to Zhou's Box Turtle are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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