Receiving 34 individuals of special rare turtles from Hong Kong

Through air, two rare endemic turtles are only found in the Central region of our country, scientific name is Mauremys annamensis, and 32 individuals are returned to Vietnam by the Hong Kong - Chinese authorities. According to CITES - International Convention on prohibition of trade in endangered animal and plant species.

After 7 years of wandering in Hong Kong, two individual parents of turtles are especially rare in Central Vietnam and 32 individuals have been returned to the same conditions as in the Central Region - Rescue Center households of Cuc Phuong turtle - Ninh Binh. These turtles are tidy in special packages with the best food and protective equipment.

Two parent turtles have been captured in Central Vietnam since 1999 and sold by wildlife smugglers to a local market in Hong Kong for medicinal purposes. Luckily, they were bought by a Hong Kong citizen for a scene. Later, seeing that this is a rare turtle, the people donated Kadoorie botanical garden - Hong Kong.

After seven years of breeding efforts, these two turtles have reproduced 32 individual baby turtles. The survey results of the Cuc Phuong Turtle Rescue Center show that these turtles as well as many rare animals in Vietnam have been hunted and traded across borders with very sophisticated tricks.

Mr. Bui Dang Phong - In charge of the Cuc Phuong National Park Conservation Center - Ninh Binh said: " For profit, wildlife traders have caught animals such as pangolin, turtles, put in the cars are frozen, ready to kill, or use sticky tape to stick around the turtle . ".

After being taken to the Rescue Center, special turtles were examined and monitored by health experts. In the immediate future, they are taken care of and raised in the Center, then they will be taken to a suitable living environment.

Currently, along with the Central Turtle, Cuc Phuong Turtle Rescue Center is nurturing only 16/23 rare endemic turtles that are unique in Vietnam, with nearly 900 individuals. In fact, the number of turtles rescued and brought here only accounts for a very small number (about 1%) of the number of turtles that have been hunted.

According to Douglas Hendrie - Asia Turtle Program Coordinator: "The illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam has caused the turtles to be seriously degraded. Currently, only a few populations can be found. turtles are in conservation areas, they are still facing great risks of hunters and traders . ".