A member of the Cham Island’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) management board releases an endangered tortoise. (Photo courtesy of Cham Islands MPA) HuynhThuy Huong, an MPA communication employee, told VietnamNews that the Chinese strip-neck turtle (Mauremyssinensis) was found by Truong Cong Tanh at a paddy field in Dien Ban townin central Quang Nam province on January 14, who gave the turtle to the MPA.
The1.5kg, 24cm shell turtle, which is listed in the International Union forConservation of Nature as a critically endangered species, was returned tothe wild on January 20.
According toMPA, seven tortoises and sea turtles, handed in by locals, have beenreleased in the Cham Islands in 2021.
The ChamIslands-Hoi An (including the total area of the Islands’ land and water and HoiAn) was recognised as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2009. It is home to a largepopulation of sea turtles and tortoises.
The MPA alsoreported that nearly 1,000 baby turtles had been released into the ocean in2017-19 since the ex-situ hatching (moving turtle eggs to another place forhatching) conservation project was launched in 2017.
The ChamIslands is the only successful site for the ex-situ turtle eggs hatchingproject in central Vietnam./.
VNA
