Population size and structure of endangered Reeves’ turtle (Mauremys reevesii ) in Geumho Reservoir, the Republic of Korea: Possibility of the largest population

Abstract

Mauremys reevesii (Reeves’ turtle) is an endemic freshwater turtle species found throughout East Asia. Due to a rapid population decline, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Korean government have classified this species as Endangered (EN). The reported largest population size of M. reevesii in the Republic of Korea was previously estimated to be approximately 20-30 individuals. Our study assessed the population size and structure of M. reevesii at Geumho Reservoir, Republic of Korea, using a capture-recapture data. A total of 433 M. reevesii were incidentally captured during a 35-week trapping process conducted from March to Oct- ober 2023. The sex ratio of the captured population exhibited a male bias of 1.3:1. Sexual size dimorphism was observed only in body weight. Individuals were recaptured up to 11 times during the study period, with males and females being recaptured at an average of 2.1±2.0 times and 1.5±0.9 times, respectively. The estimated population size of M. reevesii in Geumho Reservoir was approximately 891 turtles. The absence of notable sexual size dimorphism and significant sex ratio differences suggests that the population in this area may have been established relatively recently. Compared to previous records, the population in Geumho Reservoir represents the largest single population of M. reevesii, both within the Republic of Korea and globally.