Dong Nai (VNA) – Authorities in the southern city of Dong Nai on June 2 released a rare elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) back into its natural habitat in the Ta Thiet historical forest area after a resident voluntarily handed it over.
The release was carried out by the Tan Quan commune police in coordination with the commune’s Economic Office, the Forest Protection Unit No.10, and the Loc Ninh Protection Forest Management Board at Sub-zone 218, under the management board’s forest area.
Earlier, on May 26, Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, a resident of Truong Thinh hamlet in Tan Quan commune, discovered a tortoise wandering on an inter-hamlet road in Tong Cui Lon hamlet while returning home from work.
She promptly contacted local police and voluntarily handed over the animal to the authorities.
Following verification by relevant agencies, the tortoise was identified as a male elongated tortoise weighing 1.1 kilogramme and in good health.
The species is classified as a rare and endangered forest animal under Group IIB in accordance with current regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
After completing the necessary procedures, authorities selected a suitable natural forest area with appropriate ecological conditions for the animal’s release.
The elongated tortoise is one of the most beautiful and rare terrestrial tortoise species, listed in both the Vietnam Red Data Book and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. It typically inhabits tropical and subtropical forests and plays an important role in maintaining ecological balance. However, due to illegal trade and habitat loss, its wild population has been declining sharply./.
