The proposal to discover the new Hoan Kiem turtle to Dong Mo

If two children return to Dong Mo Lake (Son Tay, Hanoi), they will be taken care of and protected and can be paired.

Back from the conference "Protect wild turtles on Dong Mo and Xuan Khanh lakes" organized by Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in the morning of May 10, representing the Asian Turtle Conservation Program ( ATP) shared with the authorities that many authorities are planning to protect the world's rarest turtle in Son Tay town, Hanoi. These are two of the four Hoan Kiem turtles in the world.

Hoan Kiem Turtle was found in Xuan Khanh Lake.(Photo: ATP).

At the conference, the Hanoi Department of Fisheries released a draft plan to protect two wild turtles in Son Tay town, emphasizing the urgency to protect them. Many solutions are given including: control of lake water quality; assess the impact of tourism and agriculture activities on aquatic products in general and turtles in particular; organized an interdisciplinary patrol team to monitor and prevent harmful behaviors for the lake.

The ATP asked Hanoi authorities to bring the Xuan Khanh turtle to Dong Mo."This movement is necessary, because if left alone, there is not much conservation significance , " ATP said.

On Dong Mo Lake, ATP has built a 10x5m sandy beach with a gentle slope to give the turtle a chance to lay eggs and have a sun-drying place. Artificial sandy beaches are created on a small, safe island in the middle of the lake and can only be accessed by boat. If bringing Xuan Khanh turtle here, the care and protection will be more convenient.

Artificial sandy beach where turtles often appear in Dong Mo.(Photo: ATP).

ATP's viewpoint is supported by the department. However, according to the delegates, initially should preserve the original (still leaving turtles in Xuan Khanh Lake) then move (take turtles to Dong Mo) when there is more evidence about the sex of turtles. Some delegates are concerned about the water environment of Xuan Khanh lake which can be polluted, harmful to animals due to lying next to the garbage treatment plant.

After the meeting, Hanoi Department of Agriculture will continue to finalize the draft and soon propose to the city to issue a plan to protect two Hoan Kiem turtles in Son Tay.

By environmental genetic engineering (eDNA) method, April 12, the Asian Turtle Conservation Program (ATP) announced the discovery of Hoan Kiem turtle in Xuan Khanh lake, about 10km from Dong Mo lake, bringing the total number of species to four children. ATP staff takes 6 years to stand by the lake with many new methods to make the announcement.

Hoan Kiem Turtle, Rafetus swinhoei , is the world's most endangered and rare turtle. By the end of 2016, the world had only three children recorded, of which two were raised in China, the only wild one found in Dong Mo Lake in 2007.

Turtle Rafetus swinhoei lives in Ho Guom dead in January 2016.