Madagascar is the only branch of the genus Madagascar. It is only distributed in the Madagascar River Basin and is almost invisible in the country. Globally, the overall population of Madagascar's head-necked turtle is also extremely rare. It is one of the most endangered turtle species in the world, and is listed among the top 25 endangered species by the Turtle Conservation Fund (TFC). So its value is immeasurable.

The main threats to this species are:

They are used as food for humans, and some are caught in fishing nets, traps and hook lines. They are also hunted and illegally exported to traditional medicine and pet markets in Asia. Another threat is land development destroying its natural habitat.