Scientists announced that they have discovered the natural habitat of arare turle species, the Vietnamese box turtle (Cuora picturata), inforests on the Langbian Plateau in the Central Highlands province ofLam Dong .
Scientists from the HCM City University ofNatural Sciences did field surveys from July last year to Januarytogether with a colleague from the US-based North Carolina Museum ofNatural Sciences, according to a press release from the University.
They found eight turtles at various locations on the plateau.
"This discovery provides foundation for conservation of the Vietnamesebox turtle and hope for determining the wild origin of other rare turtlespecies," the scientists said.
Conservation activitieslike habitat protection and wildlife rehabilitation could only beeffective when the natural ranges of animals were clearly known, theyadded.
This endangered turtle was first discovered in 1998in HCM City because of the illegal wildlife trade but scientistshad never saw it in the wild until now.
The natural habitats of many Asian turtle species remained a mystery to scientists, they said.
Meanwhile, the illegal poaching and trading of turtle for food,traditional medicine, and pets have taken many species to the brink ofextinction. /.
Scientists from the HCM City University ofNatural Sciences did field surveys from July last year to Januarytogether with a colleague from the US-based North Carolina Museum ofNatural Sciences, according to a press release from the University.
They found eight turtles at various locations on the plateau.
"This discovery provides foundation for conservation of the Vietnamesebox turtle and hope for determining the wild origin of other rare turtlespecies," the scientists said.
Conservation activitieslike habitat protection and wildlife rehabilitation could only beeffective when the natural ranges of animals were clearly known, theyadded.
This endangered turtle was first discovered in 1998in HCM City because of the illegal wildlife trade but scientistshad never saw it in the wild until now.
The natural habitats of many Asian turtle species remained a mystery to scientists, they said.
Meanwhile, the illegal poaching and trading of turtle for food,traditional medicine, and pets have taken many species to the brink ofextinction. /.
