A study of hunting and trade of freshwater turtles and tortoises (Order Chelonia) at Danau Sentarum.

A study of hunting and trade in the species of non-marine turtles and tortoises (Order Chelonia) indigenous to Danau Sentarum National Park (DSNP) was undertaken during the summer months of 1995. Research revealed that the trade targets three species of softshelled turtles (Amyda (formerly Trionyx) cartilagenea, Dogania subplana and Pelochelys bibroni) and the Malaysian giant tortoise Orlitia borneensis. Due to the unusual amount of rain during the 1995 dry season there was little observation of and systematic research into specialized hunting techniques. Research on population dynamics was also impeded. Information and data were, therefore, collected by interview and the results are presented in this paper.

Of the two culturally distinct human populations within DSNP, only the Dayak Ibans actively hunts softshells. None of the 11 species of freshwater turtles and tortoises present in DSNP are unique to the area, or indeed Borneo. The trade in the Malaysian giant tortoise is local, but the softshells caught in DSNP are part of the international trade throughout Southeast Asia. An estimated maximum of 50 tons of softshells cross the Kalimantan/Sarawak border at Lubuk Antu/Badau each year. A large proportion of these turtles come from DSNP and immediate areas. The trade was estimated to be worth up to USD 75,000 to the human inhabitants of DSNP.

Introduction

During the early 1990s the Overseas Development Agency (ODA) sponsored research in a wide variety of disciplines throughout Danau Sentarum National Park (DSNP; then a Wildlife Reserve). The objective of the research was to formulate a management plan to be implemented by the PKA (Indonesian Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation, Ministry of Forestry--then PHPA). In the course of the preliminary research, it was found that a small number of Dayak Ibans took part in hunting and trade of freshwater turtles and tortoises. Further ODA-sponsored research was therefore undertaken during the summer of 1995 by the author to determine the species diversity of freshwater turtles and tortoises in the region and the extent, hunting methods and financial implications of the trade.

DSNP (see Giesen, 2000 for map) is a seasonal lake-cum-swamp forest system that empties into the Kapuas River during the dry summer months (Giesen, 1987; Giesen, 2000). The park is home to two distinct ethnic groups, the lake dwelling and partly seasonal Islamic Malays, and the Christian forest dwelling Dayak Ibans. One and a half thousand Ibans still live in traditional longhouses or towns (e.g. Lanjak), hunting and practicing shifting cultivation. Resident Malays live in stilted villages on the edge of the lakes, the seasonal Malays inhabit floating villages that are rectified each year (J. Aglionby pers.comm., 1995).

There has always been a trade in freshwater turtles and tortoises throughout Asia for meat, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) ingredients and religious, but the trade appears to have escalated in the last 10-15 years.

As local populations of freshwater turtles and tortoises in the main consumer countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and China shrank to the point where the effort put into collecting became greater than the market price fetched (Chen et al., 1999; Lau et al., 1999; Lau and Shi, 1999), Chinese communities looked to other areas to meet the demand. Around this time countries adjacent to China (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos) "opened" after many years of isolation and the international trade became more prolific. At the end of the 1980s, Chinese currency became convertible (J. Skepper pers. comm., 2000) and other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia became involved in supplying Chinese communities in Asia. Even countries such as Bangladesh and India are involved in supplying Chinese restaurants and traditional Asian medicine (Das, 1990).

Of all the freshwater turtles and tortoises that are consumed, softshells (Family Trionychidae) are considered the best, due to the low bone-to-body ratio and the larger proportions of cartilage and gelatinous skin. They are served as a delicacy in Chinese restaurants, some of which sell exclusively turtle dishes. Several authors have stated that at least half of the international trade in non-marine freshwater turtles and tortoises is in softshells, mostly the Asiatic softshelled turtle A. cartilagenea (Das, 1990; Jenkins, 1995; CNRMES, 1994; ATTW, 2000).

Turtle eggs and meat still serve as an important source of protein for some ethnic groups, especially in some areas of Bangladesh (Das, 1990) and Laos (P.P. van Dijk, pers. com., 1995). Areas with large Muslim communities experience lower exploitation rates, as Islam forbids the consumption of turtles and tortoises because of their amphibious and scavenging nature. This restriction does not apply to eggs, which are highly esteemed by some Muslims (personal observation; Das, 1990; Jenkins, 1995). In DSNP, the Islamic Malay fishermen that accidentally catch a turtle will trade these with Iban middlemen or hunters if more convenient; trade is not seen as opposing the teachings of Islam.

Turtles are considered a "hot" food, curing and strengthening the body in cold months. Eggs are believed to have aphrodisiac properties, while turtle blood is said to increase human blood protein and energy levels. It is common to find turtle blood prescribed to athletes in Southeast Asia. The majority of trade in Southeast Asia appears to supply Chinese settlements (personal observation; Jenkins, 1995). Apart from a small amount of domestic trade, most softshells from DSNP are destined for Chinese settlements in Kuching or further a field in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Turtle shell products are derived from the carapace of softshells and the plastron of hard-shells. They are sold unprocessed or turned into pills, powders and jellies to remedy such inconveniences and illnesses as a weak voice, nocturnal sweats, difficult childbirth and a swollen pancreas (Jenkins, 1995; Motluk, 1995).

At present, the trade in freshwater turtles and tortoises remains unregulated by government officials. Bangladesh comes the closest: permits are issued, "certificates of health" are required for export, and it is illegal to export turtles weighing under one kilogram; a system that would be useful for monitoring the trade in any country. However none of the species for which permits can be issued are indigenous to Bangladesh, thereby making all trade in indigenous species illegal. This does not deter the traders as turtles of Bangladeshi origin turn up in Eastern Asia; Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, China, and Malaysia (Das, 1990).

Interview Survey Methodology

The summer of 1995 (July to September), when the research was undertaken, was unusual in that it rained almost every night. At a time of year when the dwarf swamp forest should have seen their annual months of sun (Giesen, 1987), the lakes remained full and the forests remained flooded. Systematic and quantitative field surveys were therefore not feasible and as a result, no specimens were seen in the wild.

The subsequent method of interviewing hunters, middlemen, traders, and Malay fishermen proved lucrative. Upon arrival at an Iban village and after announcing that the author was interested in freshwater turtles and tortoises, the entire village's collection of "pets" would appear from the back of the longhouses on the end of pieces of string. Photographs and annotated diagrams of all specimens encountered (Testundinidae and Emydidae) were drawn. Identification was verified at the field center using a dichotomous key (de Rooij, 1915). Table I shows species that are indigenous to DSNP. Information specifically on hunting, trade, and the species involved (softshells and Malaysian giant tortoises) was gathered by interviewing Iban hunters, middlemen, traders and Malay fishermen.

Due to different cultural interpretations of time, it was difficult to establish trends in relative abundance, both present and over a period of time. Interviewees had difficulty in deciding whether a species was relatively "abundant, few or rare" in a given area. Their answers were lumped together with the number of specimens encountered to give a very crude, estimated value of present abundance a species relative to the other species found (Table 1). Investigation into the trade was extended through the Badau/Lubuk Antu border to Kuching, Sarawak. An overall review of hunting practices and trade is presented in this paper.

Results

Species of freshwater turtles and tortoises recorded in the survey are given in Table 1.

Hunting Methods

The two main species collected by hunters were the Asiatic or River softshelled turtle, A. cartilagenea (locally called labi-labi sungai) and Malaysian giant turtle O. borneensis (biuku). The other two species of softshell, D. subplana (labi-labi hitam) and P. bibroni (labi-labi kuning) were not caught very often; when they were the hunter would often not realize he had a different type of turtle. These two species were traded as if they were A. cartilagenea. Although Malays did not actively hunt/fish for turtles, Ibans hunt freshwater turtles and tortoises both for subsistence and for profit.

Both Malays and Ibans catch turtles whilst fishing. Local fishermen routinely set hooks and lines to catch fish; the larger of these hooks will also catch turtles. For Malays, fishing this way is their main source of income, and produces the majority of their turtle catch. The productivity of this method in terms of turtles is not very high, with one family catching 2-3 a month and is seen as opportunistic turtle catching. This method of catching turtles occurs all year round in the larger rivers that flow all year round, and seasonally in the lakes.

Fish traps are used by a small number of people, mainly Malays. If the traps are large enough, turtles can be caught in both baited and unbaited traps. This is common practice in Laos (P.P. van Dijk, pers. comm., 1995).

In the dry season, aquatic life is reduced to small residual pools of water (kerinan) and permanent streams as the lakes and swamp forest dry out. Groups of three to six Ibans set off on a hunting expedition, touring these residual pools of water. One trip can last for a few weeks, depending on how long it takes to collect their limit of turtles. The men wade through the water and mud, probing with a spear-like tool (ciruk) and feeling with their feet. Likely burrow locations are investigated, the men even crawling in if the holes allow. Sometimes a single cavernous "burrow" can be highly profitable, producing up to 25 turtles. This is the main method of specialized hunting in DSNP.

Iban living in longhouses further away from the lakes on the permanent streams build barriers across the path of the water. Pits are dug at the side of the barrier, and channels direct turtles from the barrier to the pits. The channels contain "valves" ensuring a turtle can get into but not out of the pits. This method is apparently not very successful, one longhouse on the edge of the park said they catch one turtle every one or two weeks.

The author was told by locals further down the Kapuas River of Iban hunters using natural and commercial poisons or explosives to flush turtles out of their burrows. No evidence of this was found nor did the author hear of any such activities occurring in DSNP.

Once caught, the turtles are put in a bag or their flippers are tied up. Great care is taken as softshells in particular are aggressive and have a nasty bite. Turtles are then piled into boats or trucks, and transported in this fashion to their next destination.

Turtle trade inside DSNP

The Malaysian giant tortoise and the Asian brown tortoise Manouria emys are the only species present in DSNP that are listed as protected. The Asian brown tortoise is listed as CITES Appendix II, and the Malaysian giant tortoise is protected under Indonesian national law (Government Regulation No. 7; Samedi and Iskandar, 1999). The question of whether a species was legally allowed to be traded never arose during the survey. It was noted that collecting Asianbrown tortoises was frowned upon as they held the ghosts of either the deceased or some kind of god.

All the trade with Sarawak in that area went through the Badau/Lubuk Antu border. Locals were allowed to cross over at their leisure, anyone from outside the area had to go round. People and trade goods that go through the border post at Badau/Lubuk Antu appear unchecked; no duty is paid on trade goods going through the border.

The trade does not appear to be sensitive to either species or sex. No hunter interviewed was aware of the differences between the sexes.

Very few Malaysian giant tortoises reach Badau or Lubuk Antu, as there is little demand for their meat. If caught and not released, they are sold locally. Trade appears to be in softshells only, and tend to be the Asian softshelled turtle.

Softshelled Turtlese

Hunters often store live turtles and tortoises in cages suspended in water, or in a specially dug pit, until they have enough for a trip to a local market town. The main middleman in Lanjak collects enough turtles in a pit to fill a truck. From Lanjak he then drives to the border town of Badau and across the border to Lubuk Antu to sell his load.

Fishermen from Meliau and the Empanang River often catch the occasional softshell with a line and hook trading it locally, often within their longhouse.

In villages such as Empaik, turtles are collaited and one person goes to Badau or Lubuk Antu to sell on behalf of the village. Other hunters travel up the Empanang River to Badau, from as far away as the Kapuas River, hunting and buying turtles from the villages along the way. On this route, the hunters go through Nanga Kantuk. Roughly one ton of turtle (approximately 50 individuals) pass through here each year (personal observation) making it an important village for turtle trade. However, neither the trade nor hunting of turtles is the main occupation of any of the local residents.

Middlemen resident in Lanjak collect two to three hundred kilograms of softshells before traveling to Lubuk Antu or Sibu, which is further into Sarawak. Occasionally they will go as far as Miri (Sarawak). All the traders pass through the Badau-Lubuk Antu border. The main dealer in Lanjak will go once a week in the dry season and about once a month in the rainy season.

Smaller traders go to the Badau/Lubuk Antu border two or three times every two months all year round. On the Indonesian side of the border, in Sawit, there is a little shop that deals in softshells. They buy from locals who only have a few softshells to sell, keep them in a water filled pit at the back of the shop, and sell to the occasional person or to traders going across the border. They deal in about 100 kilograms, or 4-5 turtles a month.

The author met one dealer who traveled through DSNP from Pait, south of the park, up to Lubuk Antu. On the way, he bought and fished for softshells. He would make up to 10 trips a year, each time carrying 30 to 35 turtles, amounting to eight tons a year.

The two main traders in Lubuk Antu, one Chinese and the other Iban, send their softshells to Miri or Sibu. Here they are either consumed by the local Chinese population or exported to China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Turtles from DSNP very rarely make it to Kuching, which has its own local trade.

Out of the three softshelled species present, the Asiatic softshelled turtle A. cartilagenea is considered a delicacy, especially at around 4 to 7 kilograms. However, as there is no difference in the price that the hunters and middlemen make at this weight, they tend to be kept until they grow into the next weight bracket.

Trade outside DSNP: further down the Kapuas River

Iban from Danau Gandal hunt softshells in the area southwest of the Park and take them either up the Empanang River to Nanga Kantuk, or down the Kapuas River to Semitau. From Semitau they are taken down-river to supply Chinese populations.

The trade from DSNP and surrounding areas to further down the Kapuas, even to Pontianak, is limited due to a good local trade down-river. The position of DSNP, practically adjacent to the Sarawak border, makes it easier for people in this area to trade with Sarawak than with other parts of Kalimantan. Also, the prices are relatively higher in Sarawak than in West Kalimantan.

Volume and value of the trade

Export of softshells to Sarawak produces the majority of DSNP's revenue from freshwater turtles and tortoises. Table 2 shows the volume of trade that was identified during the course of this study. These annual figures were calculated by multiplying the number of trips per season by the number of kilograms per trip. The length of the dry season (10 weeks) was taken as an average of the length of the dry seasons in 1992-94 inclusive; 1995 was not included due to the unusual amount of rain. Hunters and middlemen would quote how much a load of turtle meat was in kilograms. If they quoted how many turtles were taken per load, this was multiplied by the average size of the softshell. Hunters quoted around 20 kilograms for an average softshell, and the largest the author observed was 32 kilograms.

The research allows an overview of the trade, but not a systematic, accurate analysis. Thirty four thousand kilograms of turtle meat is the total deduced from interviews with the middlemen and hunters that were encountered throughout the period of research. Given that there are others the author did not encounter, this measure was taken as a minimum. The hunters and middlemen from Kalimantan sold to two traders in Lubuk Antu. This figure of 50 tons is therefore a maximum of the amount of turtle meat coming from Kalimantan. There were other traders in Lubuk Antu, but it appeared that they did not trade with Indonesian turtles

The trade in the Malaysian giant tortoise is local and very limited. They are not caught very often and the demand for their meat is negligible. Consequently, there are no reliable figures for the volume of these tortoises hunted or traded per year. The few middlemen (Lanjak) that did trade in these tortoises bought them for 950 Rp/kg and sold them for 1200 Rp/kg ([+ or -] 100 Rp).

The price of a softshell depended very much on its weight class. There appeared to be two different types of weight class system in this area: i) less than 19 kilograms, ii) between 19 and 29 kilograms and iii) more than 30 kilograms. A turtle of 20 kilograms tended to cost around 3370 Rp/kg (1.49 USD/kg) across the board of hunters and middlemen. Prices for weights either side of this varied enormously from person to person. The average softshell sold weighed between 10 and 20 kilograms.

The smaller turtles fetch higher prices, and tend to be more sought-after in Chinese restaurants; small softshells look better on the plate than a piece of a larger softshell and there is a greater proportion of cartilage and gelatinous skin per portion (ATTWG 2000:148-155).

Once in Sarawak, the price of softshells rose to an average of 2.41 USD per kilogram (see Table 3 for details).

The total financial benefit to the inhabitants of DSNP is summarized in Table 4. The cost to the hunter/middleman for hunting, keeping and transport of the softshells has not been deducted from the calculated profits as it was hard to isolate these costs.

The fact that the trade is 4.48 per cent of the gross income for DSNP (J. Aglionby pers. comm., 1995), and that less than a quarter of the total population of DSNP is involved in this trade, indicates that it is an important income to a sector of the local population.

Discussion and Conclusion

Results of the study indicate that DSNP is home to a total of 11 species of turtles and tortoises (c.f. Table 1), none of which are endemic to the area, or indeed to Borneo. All the indigenous species are exploited throughout Asia to various degrees. However, it is only the softshelled turtles that are exploited for commercial gain. Species of hardshell, although traded extensively throughout Asia, are hardly even taken home in DSNP. This national park could become a safe haven for these unexploited species of freshwater turtles and tortoises, even though DSNP is peripheral habitat for the more terrestrial species.

The impression that the author gained whilst interviewing indigenous people was that species other than the softshells (especially the Asiatic softshelled turtle A. cartilagenea) are spared exploitation due to the lack of commercial interest rather than as a result of legislation. This is especially so in the case of the Malaysian giant tortoise, a protected species apparently sought after in Chinese communities (Jenkins, 1995; ATTWG, 2000). Paradoxically, Jenkins (1995) states that there has been a dramatic increase in the export of the Malaysian giant tortoise from Kalimantan since the late 1980s, resulting in high prices. This demand does not appear to have filtered through to DSNP. Perhaps trade will develop in DSNP if the supply of softshells, the currently preferred species, becomes depleted.

A figure of fifty tons per annum has been calculated as the maximum amount of turtles passing through this unmonitored Badau/Lubuk Antu border point. Van de Bunt (1990) reported 66 tons of Asiatic softshell turtle was officially exported from Sumatra in 1988. In his case study, Shepherd (2000) found that 25 tons of turtles (50% softshells) were being exported from two provinces in Sumatra per week; an estimated 1300 tons per annum. As there were very few official government records describing exports, Shepherd had to interview the shipping agents. It is more than probable that the size of the trade is underestimated, however it has certainly grown in the last 10 years.

A major problem with monitoring any kind of movement in wildlife is the average official's lack of specialist knowledge. While a herpetologist can tell the difference between one species of softshell and another, an official may not have this ability, and may not even try. A field guide with good photos, and possibly annotated diagrams, giving the legislative status for the various species would be very useful in obtaining more reliable data from border check points.

At the same time as establishing a good, reliable method of monitoring the trade (not only of freshwater turtles and tortoises), research into the reproductive ecology and habitat needs of indigenous species is essential. Very little is known about the population ecology and biology of freshwater turtles or the carrying capacity of habitats like DSNP. Therefore making judgments as to how the turtles are affected by the regular removal of a substantial part of their population is very difficult. Freshwater turtles and tortoises are very cryptic, and the habitat they live in (swamp forests and rivers) does not facilitate research. From investigations into husbandry techniques of softshells in captivity and from what little is known from the wild, we can piece together a probable life history.

Freshwater turtles lay eggs in muddy banks, therefore in DSNP they probably lay in the dry season when the water level in the swamps has dropped, revealing suitable banks. Like most softshells, the Asiatic softshell is a prolific egg layer. As many as 20 to 30 eggs can be laid in one clutch by an experienced female (Ernst and Barbour, 1989). Tracks leading to and from the nest are left behind by the gravid female on certain substrates. Nests, therefore, are relatively easy to identify. Rates of egg mortality are susceptible to stochastic events, e.g. flooding or drying out of nests. Infant mortality is high; raptors and large reptiles such as monitor lizards target hatchlings on their way to the water. The annual flooding of the lakes will affect both the egg and infant mortality; if the lakes flood too early, the nests are lost, if the lakes flood to late, the hatchlings are at greater risk while trying to get into the water. Once in the water, large fish and aquatic reptiles find young turtles an easy meal. Even though these animals reach sexual maturity at the relatively early age of 4 years (Highfield, 1996) and produce a large number of eggs, this species has a low recruitment rate.

Habitat destruction is a major long-term threat to all biodiversity of DSNP. Commercial logging and clear felling have a definite effect on water. As well as the increase in the risk of floods, waterways being damaged from floating the logs down the river, the increase in silt suspended in the water will change the acidity and mineral balance of the water. From captive studies, Highfield (1996) states that water quality is important for the healthy skin of softshells kept in captivity. It is unclear how freshwater turtles and tortoises are affected by the change in water quality caused by logging, but it almost certainly affects their prey species.

European zoos are planning to build on current knowledge of endangered Asian freshwater turtles and tortoises (particularly Batagur baska, Callagur bornecensis and O. borneensis) by setting up coordinated management and breeding groups (Zwartepoorte, 2000). Hopefully the captive world will be able to contribute valuable information for conservation of these species in their natural habitats.

Commercial farming has been looked at as an alternative source for trade in various species through out the animal kingdom. Softshells, predominanatly the Chinese softshell Pelodiscus sinensisa species that is native to the Far East, are being farmed commercially in other parts of Asia (Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, peninsular Malaysia) exclusively for export. It is a species that breeds well and grows fast in the more tropical climates of Southeast Asia. Compared to species such as the Asian softshelled turtle, which are slow growing and whose eggs and hatchlings have a high mortality rate in captivity, the Chinese softshell is a much more commercially viable species. Currently an estimated five to ten thousand tons are being produced a year (ATTWG, 2000). This equals, if not exceeds, the number of wildcaught softshells in the trade a year. Whether this farming of softshells is beneficial or not is a subject of much debate (ATTWG, 2000). Problems have already arisen with turtles escaping and establishi ng feral populations, which may potentially compete with indigenous species.

As the population estimates given earlier in this paper (c.f. Table 1) are crude and relative, and as optimum population densities, which will be different for all species, are not known, it is impossible to state definitively how exploitation rates are affecting the population. The general impression obtained over the research period was that the number and size of turtles being caught has reduced over the years indicating that fewer turtles are reaching the older age classes. The combination of a cryptic lifestyle, fast swimming and good defense makes softshells difficult to catch and therefore potential survivors.

To conclude, the international situation for softshelled turtles appears to be far from optimistic. Although most species in DSNP are not at immediate risk, either locally or internationally, the Asian softshelled turtleappears to have a tough future ahead. population of turtles. Assuming that all fifty tons of turtle came from DSNP, the exploitation rate works out as 0.5-1 kg/hectare/year. Not all of DSNP is softshell habitat, so this seemingly low rate is an underestimate. There is no dispute that hunting for trade is the most immediate concern for softshelled turtles in DSNP, if not all of Asia. In order that these creatures do not reach such low populations that they become locally extinct, it is imperative that laws that are already in place are enforced on the ground, and new legislation addressing the extent of the softshell trade are addressed.

Recommendations

The points below are recommendations for DSNP, with particular reference to the trade in freshwater turtles and tortoises, principally the Asian softshelled turtle A. cartilagenea:

* A review of national legislation taking note of the latest IUCN Red Data Book listings and IUCN Appendices (re-evaluated in Dijk et al., 2000).

* Enforcement of probably adequate existing national legislation.

* Develop a protocol about what to do with confiscated turtles and tortoises. IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group aim to develop realistic solutions and guidelines to deal with these kinds of situations (ATTWG, 2000). For present guidelines see IUCN website http://www.iucn.org.

* Further research into the trade, following it through Sarawak to see exactly where turtles from DSNP end up.

* Further research into the population ecology and biology of relevant species indigenous to DSNP.

* Investigate the possibility of farming indigenous species of softshells for trade as an alternative to hunting, including an Environmental Impact Assessment.

In response to increasing concern over the number of species in the trade, a workshop on the conservation and trade of freshwater turtles and tortoises in Asia was held in Cambodia in December 1999 (van Dijk et al., 2000). Experts from each of the Asian countries involved were asked to produce a report. The end result was a more in-depth view of the trade over the whole of Asia and suggestions that are applicable to most countries involved (Van Dijk et al., 2000).

Like most endangered species, both flora and fauna, the destiny of these species lies in the hands of the people who inhabit and alter the landscapes in which they live.

Table 1

Species of Freshwater turtles and tortoises found in DSNP.

Species                       Common                  Local name
                              English
                              name

Testundinidae

Manouria emys (d)             Asian brown             Baning
                              tortoise

Bataguridae

Siebenrockiella crassicollis  Black marsh             Kura-kura
                              turtle                  jaung



Cuora amboinensis             Asian box               Kura-kura
                              turtle                  tambit



Cyclemsys dentata             Asian leaf/stream       Kura-kura
                              turtle                  air


Heosemsys spinosa             Spiny turtle            Kura-kura
                                                      umung

Malayemsys subtrijuga         Ricefield/Snail eating
                              turtle

Orlitia borneensis            Malaysian Giant         Biuku
                              turtle

Pyxidea mouhottii             Keeled box
                              turtle


Trionychidae

Amyda                         Asian                   Labi-labi
cartilagenea                  softshelled             sungai
                              turtle

Dogania                       Malayan                 Labi-labi
subplana                      softshelled             hitam
                              turtle

Pelochelys                    Asian giant             Labi-labi
bibroni                       softshelled             kuning
                              turtle

Species                       IUCN
                              RDBk (a)


Testundinidae

Manouria emys (d)             VU A1acd, B1+2acd CITES App.
                              II

Bataguridae

Siebenrockiella crassicollis  (VU A1cd+2cd)
                              Kura-kura
                              jaung


Cuora amboinensis             LR:nt (VU A1d+2d)




Cyclemsys dentata             (LR:nt)



Heosemsys spinosa             VU A1bd (EN A1bcd)


Malayemsys subtrijuga         (VUbA1a+2d)


Orlitia borneensis            LR:nt (EN A1cd+2CD)


Pyxidea mouhottii             (EN A1d+2d)



Trionychidae

Amyda                         VU
cartilagenea                  A1cd+2cd


Dogania                       (LR:1c)
subplana


Pelochelys                    VU A1cd
bibroni                       (VU
                              A1cd+2cd)

Species                       Relative
                              abundance (b)


Testundinidae

Manouria emys (d)             Few


Bataguridae

Siebenrockiella crassicollis  Abundant
                              (VU
                              Alcd+2cd)


Cuora amboinensis             Abundant




Cyclemsys dentata             Few -- abundant



Heosemsys spinosa             Rare


Malayemsys subtrijuga         Rare (e)


Orlitia borneensis            Abundant


Pyxidea mouhottii             Rare (e)



Trionychidae

Amyda                         Abundant
cartilagenea


Dogania                       Few
subplana


Pelochelys                    Rare
bibroni


Species                       Habitat
                              preference (c)


Testundinidae

Manouria emys (d)             Moist hill forest on the edge
                              of the park, e.g. Empaik

Bataguridae

Siebenrockiella crassicollis  Dwarf and tall swamp forest,
                              wet cultivated land, even
                              permanent dry lands (outside
                              park)

Cuora amboinensis             Dwarf and tall swamp forest,
                              wet cultivated lands, even
                              permanent dry lands outside
                              park)

Cyclemsys dentata             Hill streams, sometimes
                              shallower tall swamp forest,
                              wet cultivated land

Heosemsys spinosa             Dwarf and tall swamp forest


Malayemsys subtrijuga         Tall swamp forest, wet
                              cultivated land

Orlitia borneensis            Rivers of all sizes all swamp
                              forests and lakes

Pyxidea mouhottii             Hill forests, tall swamp
                              forest at the
                              base of hills

Trionychidae

Amyda                         Completely aquatic;
cartilagenea                  rivers and lakes
                              and

Dogania                       Completely aquatic;
subplana                      rivers and lakes


Pelochelys                    Completely aquatic;
bibroni                       rivers and lakes


(a) IUCN RDBk - World Conservation Center Red Data Book 1999. Listings
in brackets indicate proposed changes by the Asian Turtle Trade Working
Group 2000

(b) Little information on demography or even relative abundance could be
collected. Interviewees could not provide much information on population
size except to say wheter, in their opinion, a species was relatively
"abundant," "few" or "rare" in a given area. This information, together
with data on species encountered, gave a crude, estimated relative
abundance.

(c) Giesen 1987; Giesen 2000(d)No encounters occurred; deduced from
detailed descriptions and identification of pictures.

(e) Rare only in DSNP due to the area being on the fringe of optimum
habitat type.
Table 2

The volume of turtles being traded in DSNP (per annum) (based on two
different assessment methods).

Volume of softshalls crossing the  Volume of softshells arriving in
border from known sources in       Lubuk Antu from DSNP (based on
Kalimantan (based on interviews    interviews with the main traders
with the hunters and (middlemen)   in Lubuk Antu)

Source                     Volume  Traders (b)         Volume

Lanjak                  20,750 kg  Trader #1          47 tons (a)
Empanang                 1,000 kg  Trader #2           3 tons
Empaik                   3,000 kg
Paik (one trader)        8,250 kg
Sawit                    1,200 kg

Total                   34,200 kg  Total            50,000 kg

(a) A further 3 tons were collected locally in Lubuk Antu.

(b) Numbered for the sake of confidentiality
Table 3

Middlemen's selling prices for each weight class in three turtle selling
areas in Borneo and three in Sumatra (all figures in USD).

Weight    Lanjak, (a)  Lubuk        Sibu, (b)  Kan       Medan (c)
class     Kalimantan   Antu,        Sarawak    dis (c)
                       Sarawak (b)

0-3 kg    1.99         2.44         0.38       1.6-2.02  5.61
3-10 kg   1.99         2.44         0.38       1.6-2.02  5.62
10-20 kg  1.99         2.44         0.38       0.9       Less
20-29 kg  1.55         1.88         3.01       0.9       Less
>29kg     1.11         1.50         2.26       0.9       Less

Weight    Tembila-
class     han (c)


0-3 kg    2.25
3-10 kg   Less
10-20 kg  Less
20-29 kg  Less
>29kg     less

(a) Data from middlemen in Lanjak

(b) Data from traders in Lubuk Antu

(c) Data from Shepherd 1999:112-119
Table 4

Value of the trade to hunters and middlemen.

                    Weight (tons)  Hunters (USD)  Middlemen (USD)

Price per kilogram                   0.92           2.41
Minimum/yr          34.2 tons      51,018         31,476
Maximum/yr          50.0 tons      74,557         82,473

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