Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle

Yangtze Giant Softshell Turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is a reptile recorded for Vietnam in the project inventory. Its supporting occurrence note is “Expert range list”. The accepted scientific name is retained because regional taxonomy and species boundaries can change, while similar-looking taxa may require detailed morphology or genetic evidence for reliable separation. This profile therefore distinguishes the recorded identity and occurrence from broader biological context instead of inventing unsupported locality, size, diet or breeding details (project species data; Reptile Database taxonomy).

Rafetus giant softshell turtles are extremely large, highly aquatic turtles with broad leathery shells and elongated snouts. They remain submerged in deep rivers or lakes, surface to breathe and forage for aquatic animals and other available food, while females nest on exposed land. Natural-history information is limited by their rarity. These are genus-level notes rather than a Vietnam-specific field account, so exact measurements, diet, habitat and clutch values are omitted (general Rafetus account; Reptile Database).