From the 13th – 21st July 2015 the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC) supported the kids football event in Yen Bai commune, Ba Vi district, Hanoi. In all eight teams from eight villages in the commune participated. The players aged from 11-14 years old, most of them were from the Muong ethnic group, a group that makes up 1.5% of the population of Vietnam where 54 ethnic groups are found. During the matches around 600-700 spectators watched the games. During the opening celebration, Nguyen Tai Thang from the ATP gave a special presentation highlighting the importance of the Hoan Kiem turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) that inhabits Dong Mo Lake in the commune and its legal protection under national law National Law (Penal code No.37/2009/QH12). Yen Bai commune was chosen as a focus for the activity following an illegal hunting attempt in March 2015 when a Rafetus swinhoei from the lake was almost caught by a group of men from the commune.
We would like to send our profound gratitude to Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (CMZ) for supporting the Rafetus swinhoei project in general and this activity in particular. We would like to thank our local partners and agencies, and the Youth Union of Yen Bai commune who contributed greatly to the organisation of this successful event.
Press release by: The ATP
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