46 Big-headed turtles rescued in northern Vietnam

This little tough survivor has probably lost it front leg in the wild. Photo by: Marie Raasch – ATP/IMC.


We have just said good bye to 31 endangered Big-headed Turtles (Platysternon megacephalum), released back into the wild at the end of September 2018. But almost immediately more have arrived at the Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) of Cuc Phuong National Park in Vietnam.  On the 06th of October 2018, 46 endangered Big-headed Turtles were seized in Quang Xuong district, Thanh Hoa province by the Police and Thanh Hoa Forest Protection Department (FPD) from a coach departed from Nghe An Province. The confiscation also included 24 Sunda pangolins.

All the turtles and pangolins have been successfully transferred to the rescue centres in Cuc Phuong National Park on the 06th October 2018. Although some are in poor health we will do all we can to help them recover so they can be returned to the wild.

We would like to thank Quang Xuong Police, and Thanh Hoa Forest Protection Department for their confiscation. We believed that with harsh enforcement and high fine recently carried out and applied by Vietnamese authorities, the illegal wildlife trade would be reduced significantly in near future.

Press release by: Hoang Van Ha – ATP/IMC
Date: 8th October 2018

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