As a native Chinese species, Mccord’s box turtle is protected by the Wildlife Protection Law of 1988, which requires that capture, transport and trade in wild animals is by official permit only. China’s National Environmental Protection Agency (1998) has recommended that the species be listed as ‘major protected wildlife’ in order to prohibit capture and trade completely. This would help the survival of this critically endangered turtle, but only if such laws could viably be enforced, something that is notoriously difficult. Over 51 nature reserves and two ‘scenic areas’ have been established in Guangxi, where Mccord’s box turtle may occur, but quantitative surveys of the species’ population size and distribution are needed to better determine the benefits of these protected areas for the species (2). The current outlook for Mccord’s box turtle in the wild is pretty grim, but the species’ prospects for continuing survival are nevertheless hopeful, largely due to its ability to adapt well to captivity and successfully reproduce (6). However, there have been no plans for releasing captive-bred individuals into the wild, and until the current climate of the Asian turtle trade, western pet market and ongoing habitat destruction change, it would seem unsafe to do so. Until such time, captive-bred individuals can serve to buffer against total extinction, but nevertheless remain a poor substitute for a self-sustainable population in the wild, where this turtle belongs.