Experts from China and Australia believe a 100-year-old rare spotted turtle at Changsha Zoo in Hunan Province should still be able to produce offspring.

They made these remarks after giving the turtle a clean bill of health. It is thought to be one of five left in the world. The turtle, which is 80 cm long and 50 cm wide, weighs more than 40 kg and comes from the Huangpu River in east China, has been living at the zoo for more than 50 years. The China Association of Wildlife Protection has told the zoo to find a mate to save the rare species. International zoologists believe it could be the only living female spotted turtle left.

(Sanxiang Metropolis News, June 1, 2007)