HANOI, VIETNAT - July 25, 2015 - Pretty Night At Hoan Kiem Lake Editorial Image

The Hoàn Kiếm turtle (Rafetus leloii) was a controversial taxon of turtle from Southeast Asia, found in Hoàn Kiếm Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam. Although some Vietnamese biologists assert that R. leloii is a distinct species from the Yangtze giant softshell turtle Rafetus swinhoei, most authorities classify it as synonymous with the latter species.[1] If the two taxa are to be considered distinct, R. leloii may be considered extinct. There are three living specimens of R. swinhoei remaining in the world. The last individual, affectionately known to locals as Cụ Rùa, meaning “great grandfather turtle” in Vietnamese, was reported dead on 19 January 2016. A local saw the body of the turtle floating and reported it to the authority. The last time the turtle was spotted alive was on 21 December 2015