This species holds the unfortunate distinction of being classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Like many endangered turtle and tortoise species, the Sulawesi Forest Turtle faces threats mainly from illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction. In 1998, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 Sulawesi Forest Turtles were exported to China. The Indonesian government responded by prohibiting turtle exports in 2002, but illegal trade continues. Widespread deforestation due to agriculture, palm oil plantations, and other human activities has further decimated this species, especially given its limited range. Turtle Conservancy has been studying it since 2012, pinpointing the primary source of turtle exports for the wildlife trade in Sulawesi.