Amur Softshell Turtle

Fascinating facts about the Amur Softshell Turtle

• This turtle lives across the Russian Far East, northeastern China, Korea and Japan, showing how a single species can bridge four very different nations.
• Japanese populations may not be native at all; scientists think ancient humans deliberately introduced them, turning a wildlife story into a centuries-old cultural exchange.
• The species is named after Russian naturalist Richard Maack, honoring his 19th-century work that first described the turtle to the scientific world.
• While not directly about this turtle, its close cousin, the Chinese softshell turtle, has been farmed for over 2,400 years, now reaching 340,000 individuals each year – a reminder of how human demand can shape turtle populations over millennia.

At a glance

About the Amur Softshell Turtle

The Amur softshell turtle, Pelodiscus maackii, is found in the Russian Far East, northeastern China, Korea, and Japan and may attain a straight carapace length of 32.5 cm (1.1 ft). The closely related Chinese softshell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) has been farmed in China for over 2,400 years, producing up to 340,000 individuals annually.

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