In the latest in its Choking on Growth series, the New York Times looks at the plight of the Yangtze soft-shelled turtle, of which there are possibly only two left in the world:
For many Chinese, turtles symbolize health and longevity, but the saga of the last two Yangtze giant soft-shells is more symbolic of the threatened state of wildlife and biodiversity in China. Pollution, hunting and rampant development are destroying natural habitats, and also endangering plant and animal populations.
China contains some of the world’s richest troves of biodiversity, yet the latest major survey of plants and animals reveals a bleak picture that has grown bleaker during the past decade. Nearly 40 percent of all mammal species in China are now endangered, scientists say. For plants, the situation is worse; 70 percent of all nonflowering plant species and 86 percent of flowering species are considered threatened. [Full text]
[Image: Visitors to the Changsha Zoo in China’s southern Hunan Province observe the endangered Yangtze soft-shell turtle, via NYTimes.com]
