Turtles in Malaysia: A Review of Conservation Status and a Call for Research

Approximately 356 species of turtles inhabit saltwater and freshwater habitats globally, except in Antarctica. Twenty-four species of turtles have been reported in Malaysia, four of which are sea turtles. The state of Terengganu harbored the highest number of turtles, with 17 different reported spec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animals
Main Authors: Mohd Hairul Mohd Salleh, Yuzine Esa, Sarahaizad Mohd Salleh, Shahrul Anuar Mohd Sah
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022
Subjects:
taxonomic
sea turtles
IUCN Red List
CITES
checklist
genetic
Veterinary medicine
SF600-1100
Zoology
QL1-991
Antarc*
Antarctica
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12172184
https://doaj.org/article/1bdfaf8052b74311802f74a35bcf119b
Description
Summary:Approximately 356 species of turtles inhabit saltwater and freshwater habitats globally, except in Antarctica. Twenty-four species of turtles have been reported in Malaysia, four of which are sea turtles. The state of Terengganu harbored the highest number of turtles, with 17 different reported species. Based on the IUCN Red List, 29% of turtle species in Malaysia are critically endangered. In comparison, another 25% are classified as endangered. Likewise, CITES reported that 67% of Malaysia’s turtles are threatened, while 25% are classified as critically endangered. This review discusses the checklists, molecular genetics work, conservation status, recent trends, and recommendations for future research. Factors contributing to their population declines and current endangered status are also discussed.

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