Release of another group of endangered turtles in Vietnam

From 21st to 24th of June 2020, the Asian Turtle Program (ATP) of Indo-Myanmar Conservation (IMC), in collaboration with the Turtle Conservation Centre (TCC) of Cuc Phuong National Park, completed another release of turtles back to the wild, the third of 2020, in which 66 turtles returned to one of northern Vietnam’s protected areas.

This release involved 11 critically endangered Indochinese Box Turtles (Cuora galbinifrons), 40 endangered Big-headed Turtles (Platysternon megacephalum), 15 endangered Four-eyed Turtle hatchlings (Sacalia quadriocellata) and a giant effort by each member of the release as they walked and climbed in the hot summer climate of northern Vietnam.

A juvenile Big-headed Turtle of this release takes one last look before disappearing into the ecosystem. Photo by Hoang Van Ha – ATP/IMC.

This was the first time hatchlings have been released from the TCC and was due to high breeding success meaning the centre is already full to capacity. We also have many Vietnamese Pond Turtle (Mauremys annamensis) and Chinese Stripe-necked Turtle (Mauremys sinensis) hatchlings we need to release soon. Please visit our website if you would like to donate: https://asianturtleprogram.org/donate/

We would like to give our appreciation to the hard-working staff who have provided great care to these animals in captivity and those who went on this physically demanding release trip. We are also grateful to the Fondation Segré Conservation Fund and the EDGE of Existence programme for their support to this project, our other project partners (the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Paignton Zoo, Nordens Ark, the Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES), and all of our numerous partners who have contributed along the way.

Press release by: Hoang Van Ha – ATP/IMC
Date: 29th June 2020

Download the English version here
Download the Vietnamese version here

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