(multiple, multiple pictures of the species available upon request)

                                                                 Manouria impressa-  Impressed tortoise        Origin: China, Malaysia, Burma

At least in the United States, this species continues to be one of the rarer of the tortoise species.  While a fair number of these animals have come into the country over the last few decades, nearly all of them have died due to a variety of medical problems (with severe long term dehydration leading to renal damage being at the top of the cause of death list).  Fortunately, out of a number of adult females that subsequently died brought in years ago, numerous ova were collected.  Though the hatch rate was low (roughly 10%), these captive born offspring have absolutely thrived defying the myth that impressa are an exceptionally difficult species to keep.  Much like a number of other "Asian market" animals, the reasons behind the difficulty in keeping them lies primarily in the diseases/handling they were exposed to before arriving here (similar to Cuora galbinifrons in this respect). 

In terms of my personal involvement with this wonderful species, I am currently working with Dwight Lawson, PhD of Zoo Atlanta to establish an "in situ" colony of this species at the Chengdu Zoo in China.  We are applying for grant monies to support these efforts and will be making a trip together in May, 2002 to Chengdu to work with the wonderful staff at the zoo on medical and husbandry training.   Establishing this type of in situ conservation is absolutely essential for the overall Asian turtle crisis effort.  Between the massive educational opportunities (2.5 million people a year visit the Chengdu Zoo!) as well as the pride the folks at Chengdu will have in this effort, these types of efforts need to be pursued more often in multiple countries to have local effect. 

Much like Geochelone platynota, this species still sporadically shows up in the markets.  A contact who recently visited the markets in southern China noted that five were available in April, 2002.    From market animals, apparently the animals have fully developed ova around March/April of the year. 

While a variety of theories have abounded about this species over the past two decades (brumation, only eat mushrooms, etc. etc.), I suspect that the problems that were encountered in the 80s and 90s with the species are predominantly due to the mix and match treatment in the villages, wholesale collection points, and markets themselves leading to the severe mortality that we have seen.

Links to further information on M. impressa:

Pictures and information: http://www.tortoise.org/gallery/picimpr.html

Great article by Espenshade/Buskirk:  http://www.tortoise.org/archives/impressa.html

1994 summary on species: http://www.tortoise.org/archives/impressa.html