The hawksbill sea turtle is handed over to the border guard force of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on August 23 (Photo: VNA)
Ba Ria-Vung Tau (VNA) – A hawksbill sea turtle, a critically endangered species, was reintroduced into the wild in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on August 23.
The Border Guard Command of the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Port Border Gate said they had received the rare reptile from a resident in Long Toan ward of Ba Ria city earlier the same day.
This man said he found the turtle, weighing 4kg, when it was being sold near Rach Ba Bridge of Vung Tau city. Having known it is of a rare species, he bought it for 1.8 million VND (about 80 USD) and handed it over to the border guard force.
The hawksbill sea turtle, scientific name Eretmochelys imbricata, is one of the five sea turtle species in danger of extinction in the world and Vietnam. In Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Con Dao island district has recorded many hawskbill sea turtles. -VNA
VNA